Of Magical Girls and Phantom Thieves
by YAqkawer
Summary: It was just like that night about a year ago. Only this time it was a little girl with a ferret, and instead of a drunk politician it was a literal monster. The only thing he could do was what he thought was right. But just when did things get so pink?
1. Chapter 1: Joker Meets Ace

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Joker Meets Ace**

He was in the darkness again. It was the same dream as last night, and the night before, and the night before. Almost every night since he returned home, he had the same dream each time. He waited, as he knew that anything else was futile. Then just like the nights before, a faintly glowing white figure appeared. It seemed like it was trying to tell him something, but he couldn't make out what it was trying to say. He couldn't tell if it was a girl, a boy, some other manner of creature, but it was trying to tell him something, that's for sure.

"What are you trying to tell me?" He asked again. But just like last time, as soon as it was done saying what it needed to, it vanished into the ether. He sighed again, thanks to being unable to understand what it is that was being asked of him. And soon like all the other times, his consciousness faded into the darkness as well.

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

It wasn't bad, competently made, but simply put, Sojiro's coffee was better. Ren, jotted down his thoughts of the coffee he'd ordered from Midoriya. It certainly was well brewed, but it did not stand out in particular. Perhaps that was for the best, seeing as the café sold deserts and sweets, so the blandness of the coffee might have been meant to help emphasize their main attractions. Of course, Le Blanc sold curry mainly, so he wasn't sure of the particulars of selling primarily sweets. Still it was a bit disappointing that the coffee wasn't as good as he'd hoped it would be. He was finally back home in Uminari, but at the same time, it didn't feel like home.

"Not too great huh?" he heard from his bag. A little black, furry head popped right out, shaking around a few times once it was free. "Sojiro's coffee in retrospect seems more and more amazing when compared to coffee from... literally anywhere else. Maybe it's just that our expectations have been skewed as a result of thinking of his as the standard?" Said the cat, his blue eyes looking straight up at him.

"Perhaps…" he said simply before going for another sip. Hmmm… perhaps this coffee goes better with a bit of sugar, he mused to himself. "Still disappointing that I can't find a really good cup of coffee though."

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense. By the way are you going to finish that cake?" He shook his head, and grabbed the cake with a napkin, putting it in front of Morgana's head, to which the feline began to happily chow down upon. "Thanks! Mmmh, so good. Coffee might be disappointing, but the cake is really something else." It was, and he was a little sad to give it up so easily, but he decided to share it with him anyways since he hadn't treated Morgana to anything recently. Speaking of which… "Oh? What are you checking on your phone?"

"Just thought I'd give the old 'Phansite' a look. For old times' sake I guess." It has been a while, and maybe he'd find something interesting on there.

"I hear ya. Being a in a café kind of feels nostalgic, especially when we held our meetings there," Morgana mused as he began to lick his paw before getting up so that he could see the screen. "So, anything interesting?"

"Honestly, no." And that's how it has been for the past few months. Ever since he returned home, it's just been one sleepy day after another. He still maintained contact with his friends back in Tokyo on a regular basis, but that didn't change the fact that compared to his year on parole, life was just, to put it lightly, dull.

"Perhaps it's better that way," Morgana said as he jumped out of the bag and onto his lap. "Honestly if it's just the mundane stuff, that means we did our job. We should be proud." Though he said that, Ren could still tell that something was off about his voice. He guessed that Morgana also missed being able to run around the Metaverse, fighting shadows, and generally having more humanistic limbs. Most likely it was the last of those he missed, Ren thought. "By the way, how much longer are you going to stay here? You're still bold to be staying at a café doing homework on just a slice of cake and coffee. Though that's still better than just ordering coffee."

"Nah, let's go to the next place on the list. I want to try a few more places before going home. Besides that, I'm done with homework," Ren said as he began to put some of his books back into his bag, before opening it up for Morgana to jump back into.

"As expected of Joker, always striving to be the best." At the prompting Morgana jumped back in and the two left after paying. "Though you don't look as good in a white uniform I have to say."

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

"Did you really have to stay out so late? I mean we visited like 8 different shops. It's gotten really late," Morgana chastised as the two began walking home, with the only sources of light being from the lamp posts. Ren knew that he shouldn't have been out so late, if only to avoid having to her Morgana's nagging, but he just wanted to do more comparison. His year at Le Blanc kind of made him a bit of a coffee otaku. Suffice to say, his curiosity got the better of him this time. All in all, not bad, but not great though. He'll probably just have to make his own coffee then since he hadn't found a single place that was up to his standards. Suddenly though

"It's not like anyone will be at home though," his parents were abroad now. They were at home for perhaps the first couple of months since he got back, but then they had assignments that had to throw them across the world. Admittedly, the year without them made him fine with that. In fact, it all started just like on a night like this. It almost made him nostalgic. That night he saw a woman being assaulted, and instead of ignoring it, he stepped in to stop the man. Unfortunately, since the man fell and hurt himself, he sued Ren for assault. That kickstarted a whole year of absolutely crazy nonsense. It was a year that he would always remember, and treasure. Besides it's not like he was alone this time. "Besides, I hav-" A huge crash sound interrupted him as the two whipped their heads around to see dust clouds rise from close by.

"Woah! What the heck was that?" Morgana said, practically pushing Ren's head down to get a better look.

"I don't know, but someone could be hurt," he said, as he pushed Morgana back into the bag, so he could start running towards the scene. As he turned around the corner, that's when he saw her.

Running towards them was what looked to be an elementary school girl in an orange long sleeve shirt and skirt. Her brown hair was done up in pigtails with white ribbons that swayed to and fro. In her hands was what looked to be a ferret with a red jewel around its neck. Of course, he didn't have too long to look as she soon ran into him.

"Kyaa!" She screamed as the two made impact. Before she could fall completely on her rump however, he managed to grab a free hand to pull her up. "Um, thank you! But you have to get out of here mister!" He was confused for a second, but soon something landed in front of the two with a large crashing sound, kicking up dust and smoke. The two of them began to cough wildly as a result. When the dust settled, he could see that what landed in front of him was what looked to be a sort of amorphous blob of fur that seemed to writhe every which way. All that could be said that it was a monster. "Run!" she cried once more.

"Hold on to this!" He said, ignoring her plea as he handed her his bag and grabbed a nearby pipe from a garbage pile. "You get the police! I'll stall it for as long as I can!" He said as he put himself between the girl and the monster. Not knowing what the monster was going to do, he waited until it made the first move. Only at the last moment did he notice it lunge at him. At the right time, like a batter, he swung and knocked it to the side, but only just a little. Good a swing as it was, it only served to more so delay the monster. That and piss it right the hell off.

"You can't fight that thing!" the little girl said again.

"Why haven't you run yet?" Ren asked as he took another swing as the monster lunged at him once more.

"We got to go now young miss!" Morgana said. Of course, it would only come out as meows to her. Hopefully though it would at least prompt her to move if she had another animal in her care.

"Huh? Did you just talk? First a ferret, and now a cat?" the girl asked in confusion as she turned to Morgana.

"Are you a mage as well?" The ferret asked, shocking Morgana to the core that there was another animal around capable of speaking. Well it sounded like speaking but something was off.

"What? No! I mean, how are you- Argh, we don't have time! Look just get running and get the authorities. Ren might be able to handle himself, but not forever. You have to go get help now!" Morgana said furiously. He'd have to save the questions for later.

"But I can't just leave him behind!" The young girl said, refusing to budge on the matter. Ren couldn't respond as one of the tentacles swung at him, knocking him to his knees. He still had some fight left in him, but without his powers he was just an athletic young man.

"Young girl, there is a way to save him but it will require your help," the ferret told her. Though she was surprised to hear as such, she was not for long.

"What can I do?" she asked without a single bit of hesitation. She couldn't do nothing, not when someone is there fighting so bravely to help her.

"Here!" The ferret said as it handed to her the red jewel in its mouth.

"It's warm," she said as she took it in hand, enamored by the beauty that the jewel exuded.

"Hold it firmly, then close your eyes and quiet your heart," the ferret continued to instruct. "Then repeat what I say." The girl nodded, enclosing the jewel in her hands and holding it close to her heart. "I am the one charged with a mission."

"I am the one charged with a mission."

"Upon this contract, release the power of…"

"Upon this contract, release the power of…" The jewel in her hands began to respond, activating just enough as it sensed the presence of a potential master.

"Wind in the sky, stars in the heavens…."

"Wind in the sky, stars in the heavens…."

"And unyielding spirit…"

"And unyielding spirit…"

"Here into my heart!" The two began to say in sync. "Send magic into this hand!"

"Raising Heart set up!" She spoke, finishing the chant as she raised the jewel into the sky.

" _Stand by Ready! Set up!_ " Was what he heard before a pink light rose up from behind him where the little girl was supposed to be. Luckily it appeared that the monster was afraid of whatever was going on as it stopped attacking to simply stare in fear of the light.

"Woah!" Morgana exclaimed, being right next to the girl as the bright light shone from her hand where the jewel was held.

"So much power!" the ferret couldn't help but let out but regained his composure to continue leading her. "Calm down and visualize the magical staff that controls your magic! As well as the powerful garment that protects you from harm!"

"But this is so sudden… but um… um…" though hesitant, the scene of the young man getting back up despite having been struck down just before reminded her that she couldn't afford to hesitate here. Immediately her mind began to imagine her staff and clothes as instructed. "How about this!"

As soon as she said as such, she was then completely engulfed in the light. Though he didn't have the ability to call his persona, he could still feel the immense swell of power that emanated from her. His grip tightened on the pipe he was carrying. Was this all he could do? Was this all he was worth without his Persona? Before he could contemplate that thought further though-

"It worked!" the ferret exclaimed as the light died down, revealing the girl to now be wearing a white dress with blue trimmings, featuring a red ribbon neatly tied in front of her chest. In her hand was a staff that was pink at the far end, white for the main staff portion, and an elaborate gold head piece with what seemed to be a larger version of the red jewel from before.

"Huh!? What!?" the girl let out in confusion, not entirely sure of what was going on anymore. "What is this?" She began to back off completely unsure what just happened. The monster saw this however and decided to capitalize on the opportunity. Jumping up, it then dove at what it perceived to be the biggest threat, hoping to eliminate it while it had the chance. While falling it began spinning to increase its momentum for impact.

"Oh no you don't!" Ren said, sliding beneath it to intercept it with a big swing. The monster and the pipe collided with, the sound of the monster and the pipe grinding as he held the pipe to try and ward it off. Unfortunately, the pipe snapped under the pressure, and the monster then slammed into him right after, this time putting him on to the ground.

"Mister!" the girl cried as he skid across the concrete, skipping like a stone, his blood making streaks on the floor as he flew.

"Ren!" Morgana called out to him as he jumped out of the bag to see if his friend was alright.

"Urrggh," Ren let out as he struggled to get up from the floor. He'd taken worse from the Metaverse, but without his Persona backing him up, it was by comparison even more life threatening. The monster, seeing weakened prey, snarled before pouncing at him to finish the job. Even as it approached though, he kept his hard gaze. If this was how it was to end, stay proud. Worse ways to go than trying to save a kid.

"No!" the girl screamed as she ran between the two of them and pointed her staff at the monster.

" _Protection_ " the staff said coldly, as a barrier formed in front of her, not only stopping the monster in its tracks, but beginning to split the blob into pieces as it grinded against the magical spell. Eventually the monster was completely in shreds.

"What did I-

"Our magic is based on a program that contain incantations," the ferret began to explain as the pieces started to writhe back to each other. "And what is required to activate it is the caster's spiritual energy. That monster was born from a sinister power and to stop it we're going to have to seal it." The pieces had now coalesced such that the big clump was now grabbing at what pieces remained scattered using more tentacles.

"So, what do I have to do?" She asked, looking over Ren who was trying to get up again.

"You so far have used magic that can simply be used with a thought, but for sealing you're going to need to use stronger magic. For that you're going to need a manual incantation," the ferret tried to explain.

"And what's that?" Morgana asked in a panic. "We don't got all day for her to learn all your magic crap! Any way to speed it up?"

"She just needs to calm her senses and it will come naturally," the ferret explained.

"Well then do it now! Before Ren gets himself killed, this goody two shoes!" Morgana demanded. The young girl, nodded before closing her eyes and calming herself as the ferret instructed. Behind them the monster, having completely reformed, came back with a vengeance, throwing its tentacles out to attack them. "CRAP!" Without a word, the girl raised her staff again.

" _Protection,_ " was heard again as another barrier manifested, disintegrating the monster's attack.

"Lyrical! Magical!" The girl said, resonating with the words in her heart.

"What must be sealed is the sinister vessel!" the ferret said as the girl raised her flourished her staff once more.

"Jewel Seed Seal!" she declared, raising the staff high into the sky.

" _Sealing Mode… Set up,_ " the robotic voice of the staff replied; ancient magic words, writing themselves upon the jewel. With that, pink wing like structures made of light emanated from the staff's head. Simultaneously pink lights also flew to restrict and bind the monster, as the symbol 'XXI' appeared on the creature's forehead. " _Stand By Ready…_ "

"Lyrical! Magical! Jewel Seed Serial 21… Seal!"

" _Sealing!_ " And like that, more pink lights flew from the staff, stabbing at the creature and skewering it every which way. The monster cried as it was pierced by the light until finally it seemed to completely dissipate. When it was over, she noticed something shining in the place where the monster used to be.

"Huh? What is that?" she asked as she walked over to whatever it was. To her it looked to be a simple gem stone that you could find any jewelry shop. How could something so small be so dangerous, she wondered.

"That's a Jewel Seed, touch it with Raising Heart," the ferret instructed once more. As she was told, she held her staff out and before going further, the jewel seemed to fly into the staff itself.

" _Receipt Number 21_ " the staff let out as the girl began to be engulfed in a glow similar to the one she was in before transforming. When it died down, she was back in her normal clothes from before.

"Is it over?" Surprised, she whipped her head back to find the young man, standing behind the two of them, one hand holding the bag behind him, and the other holding his side. Out from the bag popped out the familiar head of the cat from before.

"Yeah, thanks to the two of you. Thank… you…" was all the ferret could muster before it collapsed onto the ground.

"Woah there!" Morgana said, leaping down to check on his fellow talking animal. Before he could continue though, sirens sounded off in the distance.

"There's a park nearby, let's take him there. I don't want to be arrested again." Ren picked Morgana up placing him in his school bag.

"Again?" She asked, but with the approaching sirens, she couldn't ask. "Wait I'll carry him." She said, taking the ferret out of his hands. He was injured, and she didn't want him to carry any more than he had to.

"Right, let's go then!" The two made off into the distance before the police could arrive.

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

The two of them sat down at one of the park benches, the police sirens passing them by as they rested. In Ren's lap was Morgana, and in the girl's was the ferret, who was currently still passed out.

"That was a close one. The hell were you thinking? The you right now can't take a beating like that. Any more of that stuff and you would have been dead!" Morgana began to chastise him. "What would I say to the others if that happened to you?"

"Well, it's a good thing that didn't happen then. Are you alright?" He asked the little girl, dismissing his nagging cat.

"Oh, um… I think I should be asking you that. Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital or something?" She asked, worried about the older man she just met. Normally she'd be warier of an older high school boy at night, but seeing as he risked his life to save her, even if it was unnecessary, she felt she could trust him. Of course she also couldn't but worry, since his uniform was stained red. Hopefully it would come out in the wash.

"I'll be fine. I've had worse at the gym." The little girl was confused at the statement, but it seemed his feline companion was privy to what he was alluding to.

"At least you're not out on the ground this time… Fine, but you have to be more careful alright?" the two of them stopped in their tracks when they heard the young girl giggle. The thought of him lying on the floor exhausted seemed to be putting her in stitches.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but laugh," she muttered through her laughter. "Um… I'm Nanoha Takamichi, a third grader. My friends and family call me Nanoha. I guess you can too," she introduced herself once her laughter died down.

"I'm Morgana," the cat explained. "And the quiet one here is Ren Amamiya. A pleasure to make you acquaintance Miss Nanoha." Morgana then took a sort of bow, which only served to further amuse Nanoha, alongside the polite demeanor he had so far shown.

"Nice to meet you Nanoha-chan," Ren said without much decoration. At Nanoha's lap though, ruffling could be heard.

"Um… since we're doing introductions. I'm Yuuno Scrya. Thank you for saving me," the ferret sheepishly said, revealing himself to have awakened in the process.

"Ah, nice to meet you to! Are your wounds okay? I wasn't too rough with you, was I?" Nanoha asked as she began to panic, hoping she didn't cause things to get worse.

"I'm fine. I used healing magic to tend to my injuries." Yuuno then shook himself to loosen the bandages that Ren and Morgana had just now noticed. Falling off, they revealed pristine fur that was free of scars or wounds. "Actually, while I'm at it, here!" A green glow began to emanate from the small animal that then soon transferred to Ren. Unsure of what was happening at first, he then noticed that his body no longer ached or hurt as he moved. "Some healing magic as thanks for helping us."

"You're welcome," Ren replied. "And thank you for the heals."

"Yes and… I'm sorry to have gotten the two of you mixed up in this. You Nanoha, because you were the only one who I could call, and you Ren because you had the misfortune to run into us," Yuuno said remorsefully as he bowed as far as his ferret neck allowed.

"It's fine, he and I are used to these sorts of Dashing Heroics," Morgana proudly exclaimed. "Trust us when we say, we've been through worse." He then began to pat Yuuno on the back to help assure the ferret that he was being truthful on the matter.

"Umm…" Nanoha hummed nervously.

"Oh right, it's getting late, we both should be heading home. Do you need me to take you home?" Ren asked, noticing on the park clock that it had certainly now become really, really late as opposed to being just late.

"No, I'll be fine. Besides I think my parents might get the wrong idea if you show up all of a sudden." That was true. He didn't want to be arrested again on even worse charges. "But um… we should meet up tomorrow. After school, do you know a place called Midoriya? My parents own the place and we could meet up there to talk some more tomorrow."

"We were there today actually. Ren here's actually been trying cafés all across town." Morgana made sure to not mention Ren's thoughts on the coffee.

"Great! Then, we'll see you tomorrow," Nanoha said as she and Ren got up to start walking out of the park.

"Yeah, I think all of us are going to need to discuss this stuff," Morgana said.

"I'm sorry for mixing the two of you up in this," Yuuno once again apologized.

"Save it for later, for now, let's just go home… and you better split up before the cops see you and arrest Ren for pedophilia," Morgana explained with nervous laughter.

"What's pedophilia?" Nanoha innocently asked. The other three had a bit of a time trying to avoid that subject afterwards.

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

"So, Jewel Seeds are ancient artifacts from our world. Originally, they were magical stones that granted the wish of its possessor. However, the power is unstable and has the possibility of going berserk. That is what occurred last night. Not only that it can also, on its own, search for a user, causing harm as it tries to find someone. Person or animal, if they find and keep it, they get possessed and go on a rampage," Yuuno explained as the four of them, Ren, Nanoha, Yuuno, and Morgana sat at a table at Midori-ya. The excuse Nanoha made to her parents was that Ren was a tutor to help her with her studies. His test papers that he had in his bag helped to prove his worth… that and they really liked Morgana.

"And those things are now all scattered in the city then?" Morgana asked. "How did they end up here?"

"It's my fault. You see, I'm an archaeologist and I found the seeds on a dig one day. I went with procedure and sent them to the investigative team for safe keeping. However, either vessel carrying the seeds either met crashed or met with some man-made disaster. Then they ended up here. There are a total of 21 seeds, and so far 2 have been found, leaving 19 remaining," Yuuno said, guilt clear in his voice as he explained the circumstances.

"Doesn't sound like it's your fault in that case," Ren was the first to say, though Nanoha was just about to say it. "Beating yourself up about things that aren't your fault isn't the way to go about things. It's best to just take things slow and work them out."

"I agree, I don't think you're to blame either, Yuuno," Nanoha added.

"But, I'm the one who found them, and as such it's my responsibility to return them safely so that they don't fall into the wrong hands," Yuuno rebutted almost immediately.

"While you have a good sense of responsibility. That's only going to lead to recklessness. Let me guess, you're thinking that you have to do this all on your own, and that after you're fully back up and running, that you're going to try to find the seeds by yourself. Right?" Morgana asked as he nibbled at the cookie on the table.

"How did you-"

"It's easy when you're as wise and experienced as myself," Morgana preened. "Trust me when I say that doing things on your own isn't responsibility, it's recklessness, and dangerous recklessness at that. It will only end up with you dead, and no one left to solve the problem. At that point, your responsibility will just be a meat pile on the side of the road."

"Morgana!" Nanoha said in shock to the cat's blunt statement.

"Sorry, but in a situation like this, sugar coating it is only going to make things worse. If you really want to fix this problem, then let us help you out," Morgana, without holding back, replied.

"But I… I can't just let you get involved. I'm sorry but-"

"I agree," Nanoha interrupted the ferret. "I can't during school or cram classes, but I can help outside of those times."

"But it can get dangerous like yesterday, or even worse than that," Yuuno tried to argue.

"And what can you do as you are now?" Ren began. "I hate to say it but you're a small ferret, and you said it yourself last night. Nanoha is strong. What if a Jewel Seed pops up right now? What can you do about it? If it's as dangerous as you say it is, then you might not have the luxury of time. Nanoha proved she can do it last night. Just believe in her."

"Ren… that's right, and besides that." Nanoha started to say, staring straight at Yuuno. "We're friends now. I can't just let you go on your own. Not after listening to your story like that. Also, if something like last night happens again, then I want to be able to do something about it so that everyone can be safe. If someone's in need and I have the power, I won't hesitate. That's what dad taught me. Though I'm not sure how good a mage I'll be."

"How noble of you Miss Nanoha." Morgana sincerely complimented her. "You might as well accept her help Yuuno. It would be rude to deny a lady's offer like that."

"I… I suppose you're right. Besides, you probably have more talent than me Nanoha. As far as I'm concerned you're already a powerful mage."

"Really? Um… I'm not too sure but thank you! I'll be counting on you teach me more!" Nanoha gleefully said as she began to hug Yuuno.

"Yes, I wi-" Yuuno suddenly stopped and looked outside, his gaze transfixed in a specific direction. "It's another seed…"

"Where is it?" Ren asked as he began to put his things away. Nanoha also was doing the same.

"I'll show you where it is, come on!" Yuuno said as he climbed onto Nanoha's shoulder.

"Nanoha-chan where are you and your tutor going?" Her mother asked from behind the counter.

"We're going to get some fresh air, too much work at once can be taxing on the brain. A little break to keep her going," Ren answered. "Thanks for the coffee and desert," He said as he began to follow Nanoha out. "Here's exact change. We'll be back soon."

"Meow!" Morgana said, imitating a cat...

"Yeah, we'll be back soon Mom!" Nanoha said as she exited the store alongside Ren. As soon as they were out of sight from the store, the two rushed in the direction as pointed out by Yuuno.

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

As soon as the two reached the top of the stairs, they found a woman having passed out on the floor in front of a mutated dog like creature that had a few too many eyes and teeth than was normal. It also had an extra growth on its head that had even more eyes and even horns. Nanoha already had Raising Heart in hand, while Ren brought out the combat knife he had hidden on his person, then dexterously flipping it to the underhanded position. Morgana as a precaution, jumped out and began to try and look for an opening to move the woman out of the way.

"The original animal has been taken over by the seed. It looks like a strong one, Nanoha, activate Raising Heart!" Yuuno, said after having laid eyes on the creature.

"Right… um… how was it activated?" Nanoha said with a nervous tremble in her voice.

"The Password! I am one charged with a mission!" Yuuno tried to explain.

"I don't remember it! It was so long!" She cried with tears in her eyes as the monster drew closer. She froze up as she saw the big dog approach. What was she thinking? She couldn't do this. She was going to be killed. She wanted to run away, run home to where it was safe. Suddenly though, she felt a hand being placed onto her shoulder. Ren with his confident and cool smile stood there, still firm and unyielding. Why? Why did it feel like things would go well when he looked at her like that? How could he be so brave?

"Then you help her through it Yuuno, I'll distract it. Nanoha, I believe in you. Move in to seal it when you're ready. Morgana look for an opening to move the woman out of the way." Immediately, Ren darted towards the creature. As he approached the dog tried to bite at him, only for him to side step it and immediately deliver a knifed haymaker to the side of its head. The monster, even if it didn't feel the blunt impact certainly was pricked just a bit by the knife as it jumped back, a bit of blood flowing out of the side of its head. "Damn… not deep enough… Yuuno, how's it coming along?" He asked as he prepped for another attack.

"Um… Right! You heard him Nanoha… Nanoha?" Despite Yuuno's cries, Nanoha wasn't paying attention. She looked on as Ren fought the creature with nothing but a knife, and strangely enough, holding it off even better than the monster from last night. She thought on how he didn't hesitate to run in, neither yesterday nor today. As soon as the threat appeared he took charge, and courageously fought on. And what did she do? She hesitated, she started to cry as soon as it looked dangerous. Suddenly though, the dog's tail swung, but Ren didn't see it coming from behind.

"Argh!" He let out as he landed on the floor again, just like yesterday, and just like yesterday, he only let it slow him down so much before getting back up again and running back in, calm and collected, to keep it at bay for as long as possible.

"Is everything alright? Get to it Miss Nanoha! He's not going to last much longer!" Morgana pleaded after dragged the woman a safe distance away. She hated herself for it. For saying such big words, and yet having someone else front for her bravado. She was only 9. What was she thinking?

"Nanoha!" Yuuno screamed again, this time catching her attention as she noticed that Ren was knocked down again, this time though, with the monster's foot crushing his back. Even then he didn't give up, trying to grab at the knife that had fallen out of his grasp. She had to be better, starting now. Suddenly the hand holding Raising Heart started to glow.

"Raising Heart?" She said as the glow both distracted the monster and Yuuno.

" _Standby Ready. Set Up._ " It declared as Nanoha was once again wrapped instantly in a pink light which faded just as quickly to reveal her garments from last night. " _Shooting Mode, Set Up._ " The staff head began to breakdown and rematerialize into a more squared shape with two prongs.

"No password? How can you… that's not important right now. Nanoha, control the output. The original animal is still inside there," Yuuno warned, having surmised that full power would completely obliterate what ever creature it was originally before the seed took it over.

"Got it!" She confirmed as she aimed Raising Heart's new form. She won't hesitate anymore. She had to prove his belief in her true. Surrounding her, magical circles with various runes began to form, and magic began to coalesce at the tip.

" _Controlling Output. Setting to projected levels necessary to incapacitate,_ " Raising Heart stated.

"Thank you, Raising Heart. Bad Dog! Hands off my Friend!" And at that she fired it. The pink magical beam shot through the air, carving its way to the monster until it finally impacted, knocking it off its feet. Ren, without the weight, got up, got his knife, and ran over to Nanoha.

"You did it!" Ren exclaimed, looking none the worse for wear save for a dirty shirt.

"Great Job Miss Nanoha! I knew you could do it!" Morgana followed.

"That control… Her talent is truly amazing… Nanoha Seal it now!" Yuuno told her as the monster was clearly worn down but could get back up any moment.

"Right, Raising Heart I'm counting on you!" Nanoha said as she made a ready stance.

" _All Right. Sealing Mode Set Up!_ " Raising Heart acknowledged suddenly, followed by transforming into the shape it displayed last night with the two wings protruding from the back of the head. As the monster was getting up, the same binds also appeared, keeping it in place as Nanoha set up the Coup de grace. The symbol XVI appeared this time instead.

"Lyrical! Magical! Jewel Seed Serial Number 16… Seal!"

" _Sealing!_ " And like that, the creature was purged of the seed, its form seemingly dissipating leaving behind a simple mundane dog. The seed itself flew into Raising Heart who let out a simple " _Receipt Number 16._ " Nanoha felt her tension drop, letting out a huge sigh in the process. Her first battle as a mage was over.

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

"Good Job," Ren told her as the four of them watched the woman wake up to see her dog happy and healthy. No jewel seed anywhere in sight. Picking her pet up, she then began to walk down the steps. Presumably to go home after what would probably be just a random dream to her.

"Thank you. Um, Ren?" Nanoha called his name, anxiousness in her voice for some reason he couldn't pinpoint.

"Yeah?"

"I… want to be brave, like you. Today I couldn't immediately call Raising Heart when we needed to, and you had to make up for it, putting yourself in danger when you didn't need to. So, just watch me. I'm going to be as brave as you one day, and be able to meet your expectations," Nanoha declared to the older boy. To her surprise, he chortled a bit at her response. "Hey what's so funny?"

"Sorry, but as far as I'm concerned you're already braver than me," Ren said with a smile, as he began to pat Nanoha on the head.

"Stop that!" She said, swatting his hand off. "And what do you mean?" She asked earnestly, curious about what he meant by that.

"I mean, look at this way. I'm a fit athletic young adult. I have a body that can sort of handle itself in situations like this, but you? You're a kid. A 9 year old Kid. If I were you I'd be way more scared than that. Sure you stumbled. But you pulled through in the end before anyone got hurt. I think that's the most important thing. You are brave Nanoha, just don't be afraid to take it step by step. You'll do just fine that way."

"He's right, Nanoha. You've got great talent for someone your age," Yunno jumped in. "And despite the fact that you've just started, you're doing great, even in the face of danger. As he said, we'll do this together one step at a time, as a team."

"Yup, and as a team, we'll be able to do things we couldn't normally do alone. I mean look at me, I'm a cat, and even I can play my part…" Nanoha wondered why Morgana seemed to pause for a second but then he resumed without issue. "You're just going to get better with time."

"You guys really mean it?" She asked, tears in her eyes thanks to their feelings of belief in her, genuine honest faith.

"Yeah," Ren said with a nod. "Now come on. It's getting late. I'll walk you home."

"Yeah I'm hungry! Let's go!" And like that the team walked down the stairs. Together they'd face whatever challenge came next.

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

"You know Nanoha…" Yuuno began as he nibbled on a biscuit while lying in his ferret bed Nanoha's family had made for him.

"What is it Yuuno-kun?" She said as she checking which pajamas she would wear for the night. A lot had happened today and left her quite dirty so she had to take a bath as soon as possible.

"I don't think we ever asked them, but how can Morgana talk?" Yuuno asked, a question he realized the two failed to bring up yesterday or today. A pregnant silence filled the room as it dawned on them that the other half of their sealing team was probably not as normal as they appeared to be… Nanoha gave only a single response.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?"

 **-0-0-1-0-0-**

In his room, he organized his books for tomorrow. Placing them in his bag, he looked back on his desk to see his phone by its lonesome. Turning it on, he checked his phone again. As usual, it was still gone. The Metaverse app hadn't returned.

"It's not going to just suddenly reappear you know? As nice as it would be to be able to use our Personas again, it's not like it's just going to happen for no reason," Morgana answered as he licked his paw clean, sitting in the nice cat bed he had for himself in Ren's room.

"I know… but leaving it all to a 9-year-old girl doesn't sit right with me. I have to take the burden off her just a little bit," he said as he put the phone back down. His hand began to squeeze in self-loathing.

"Well, what you're doing is probably the best you can hope to do honestly. She's the only one who can really do anything about this situation. It's best to support her so that she can do her best and with minimal danger. I don't like leaving it like that either. It's so un-gentlemanly, but it's all we can do," Morgana said as he finished licking his paw and shook himself dry. "If you're that bummed, maybe you should text everyone to see how their doing? Let them know what's going on."

"You're right… Besides It has been a while. I wonder how they're going to react?" He let out a huff as the thought danced in his head. Grabbing his phone, he went to the old chat log to talk to some old friends.

"And make sure to go to sleep." Some things never change.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Sometimes we have good ideas, sometimes we have bad ones. This is… I don't know but hey it exists now. I originally was going to just make this a one shot focusing on the Phantom Thieves as they deal with the show in it's last 4 or so episodes, just swooping in and saving the day, but change of plans. Since I had never actually watched Nanoha's 1st season proper, I decided to give it a watch in order to best research the material. After all second hand tellings from other people's cross over fan fictions is probably not the best source for how the show originally went. I was already boned up on P5's though. Getting the platinum does that to you. Watching the show, I found that my original draft wouldn't have worked. I mean I guess it could, but it was better to throw like 75% of it out and save the rest for later for better over all congruence and minimizing forced scenes in exchange for a more organic integration. In that process I decided I needed to just start from the beginning of the show and just follow that with P5 mixed into it. The changes will become more pronounced over time. And don't worry, Ren will be just fine. It's a Persona cross over after all, so they're coming, they're just in Nantucket and it's going to take a bit of time for them to get here. And they better take that left turn at Albuquerque.

One of the major changes I realized I was making was making Nanoha develop as a character a bit faster. Something at the beginning of the show I saw was that Nanoha is a bit of a ditz who needed to learn the severity of her responsibilities. It was done well in the show proper, but this isn't the show proper. In this case, because Ren is here (God that's weird I like Akira better), he's already got the qualities that Nanoha would display later. So, her seeing that is enough for her to prompt greater growth. Couple that with her own strong sense of responsibility I figured that would make her grow faster compared to the original show, because she has a role model in Ren to emulate and desire to become. I mean people with the Fool Arcana tend to stimulate growth in others. But yeah, don't worry, the domino affect that has will be shown… I hope I can show it anyways.

For the most part, this series is just going to cover the first season. I don't really have plans to go beyond that, so hopefully this all won't take too long to hash out, given that the original show was just 13 episodes long, and this chapter technically covered episodes 1 and 2. This probably shouldn't interfere with FiEW, but hey who knows. I certainly don't anymore… I mean hey I wrote this in a day thanks to a stroke that left me twitching on the floor… a stroke of genius (I watched The Producers again…).

So what did you think? Did I portray the characters correctly? Did I get lore wrong? Do you just hate my guts and want to tell me? Put a review down and let me know of all my shortcomings, so that they'll be longer in the future.

As always, I hope you enjoyed yourself and brightened up your day just the tiniest bit. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day.


	2. Chapter 2: Pushing Limits

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Pushing Limits**

"Bullshit," Ryuji typed into the chat so quickly and efficiently that he might as well have typed even before Ren told them what had happened.

"Ooh, Ooh, so when does the rival girl show up and they have a steamy lesbian romance?" Futaba was just as quick to add. "Or wait maybe you're like the Tuxedo Mask, but less douchey. I mean you already technically look good tall, dark, and, wearing stuff on your face. On second thought, no don't. She's like 9 right? That'd be super creepers," she then followed right after.

"I mean wasn't it already creepy that she was like a middle schooler and he was in college? But wait no that's not the point. Ren you're not doing anything illegal right?" Ann chimed in afterwards, her concern showing through the words on the screen.

"Ren, I hope you're not indulging in less than legal behavior. I don't know how well we'd be able to get you out of Juvenile Hall a second time," Makoto began to badger him through the group chat.

"Ren wouldn't do that, I'm sure he's just getting along well with this Nanoha-chan and is just indulging in her imaginations. I mean, many children at that age also imagine themselves as superheroes or other larger than life figures," Haru said, the first to defend him so far.

"Hmm… if that is the case, perhaps I should head down to Uminari myself. Maybe she can provide inspiration for my next piece," Yusuke said, clearly still in his own little art world. Luckily he was at least attached enough to the conversation however. "Ren, be sure to not be found in a compromising situation with her that the police might construe as untoward. You remember what happened that time we rented a boat out."

"Wait, what happened? What boat?" Ryuji began to ask, adding a few extra question marks following such.

"Ooooh? Something we should know something about Inari?" Futaba began to prod. The image of her smirking face came clearly to Ren's mind as he read it.

"Stop that, we were just misconstrued as a couple is all. Just a simple misunderstanding," Yusuke clarified in as a straight a manner as possible.

"Ren and Yusuke…" Ann typed out, the surprise and contemplation coming through.

"Um Ren… never mind. Back on topic however, and disregarding the whole magical girl business, we still haven't discussed when we'd be meeting up again," Makoto said, her natural leadership bleeding through the screen.

"Right, I think Golden Weekend is probably our best bet to meet up again. We could just drive down to his place, pick him and Morgana up, and hightail back to Tokyo before anyone knows he's gone," Ryuji offered first. Ren could see his toothy grin through the text, the obvious confidence in his plan was easy to imagine.

"I think that's a wonderful idea. Makoto and I will also have a break from College at that time as well, so we should be free. Except I think I might have a better idea. Uminari is near the sea right? Let me see if I can set something up for that time," Haru stated, her prim giddiness shining through her texts.

"Oh? What is it?" Ann asked, curious as to what the Okumura heiress was wanting to do.

"Hmmm… It's a surprise," Haru coyly typed out into the chat.

"Aw man I forgot about that. You guys have a beach right? What's it like?" Futaba asked, shifting the conversation to him.

"I've never been to it." Or maybe he didn't remember. Either way nothing came to mind when it came to the idea of Uminari Beach.

"Well first time for everything then. I'll have to bring more blues. I want to better capture the sea than I did last time. And besides we as a whole group haven't gone to the beach together in a while, let alone with Haru-san."

"So, it's settled then. Man, I have to buy a new swimsuit then. I wonder if my modeling agency might let me do some swimsuit work. It would really help me in deciding," Ann said, giddy to go shopping again. "Ladies let's go shopping right before summer starts!"

"But the one you guys got me is still fine," Futaba chimed in, though Ren couldn't tell if she was confused or whining based on the chat.

"I'll have to agree with Ann here. It's the perfect time to buy a new one." Even Makoto wanted to buy a new swimsuit apparently.

"It'll be just us girls then," Haru added.

"Right, but us guys are here too you know," Ryuji reminded them. "Anyways, Ren take care of yourself alright? And try not to get labeled a pedo until we get there."

"Yes, wouldn't want anything of the sort to happen before we can see one another again," Yusuke followed.

"TTYL Ren," Futaba texted before going offline.

"Yes, also be sure to keep up with your studies," Makoto said before leaving herself

"Let's try the new coffee beans I'm growing next time we meet." Then Haru went offline.

"Later Ren, got to get back to get back to this hunt so I'll talk to you some other time," Ann said… He forgot she loved to play video games.

"Well they certainly haven't changed," Morgana finally spoke. "I guess it's to be expected they didn't believe you. I mean what we saw was kind of crazy even by our standards," the cat admitted as he began to stretch himself out on top of the dinner table.

"You're right, but at least we tried. Besides, even if they did believe me, I couldn't ask them to just drop everything to try and help," Ren said as he shut off his phone, getting up to wash the dishes.

"Yeah there is that," Morgana said as he kept looking at his human companion as we moved over to the sink. "Still, what could they do in this situation that you aren't already doing? I mean we're more like support and ideas. It's Miss Nanoha that has to do the heavy lifting. Honestly at this rate, she might not even need us. In fact, we might become more of a hindrance than help." It wasn't until after he said that that Ren realized he was squeezing the dishes to tightly and-

"Woah!" he said, letting the plate slip from his grasp, only to catch it in time before it could collide with anything. "Phew…"

"Nice one!" Morgana said, as he jumped onto the nearby counter top from the dining table. "But back to my point. This isn't the Metaverse and we don't have a Personas. Heck I can't even hold anything in these paws. I know it might be hardest for you, since you have so much potential, but perhaps this is our limit in this case. I had to learn the hard way that I couldn't do anything without you guys, something you know all too well. In this case we just have to learn that this isn't a problem we can solve without her."

The words stung Ren. He remembered what it was like to be powerless, to lack control over the situation. However, he also remembered the opposite, being completely able to do what he wanted, to do whatever it was that he wanted. It was freedom, emancipation, to wield that power. He truly felt on top of the world every time he dove into the Metaverse to change those who were the worst of society and to make the world a better place. To see the good, he and his team brought thanks to the power of Persona, made him smile each time he remembered. And then that power went away as quickly as it appeared. It was a choice he made himself; a decision made in defiance of a god, for the benefit of mankind. Just this instance though, he regretted that decision. Reaching down into the water filled sink he found it empty.

"Done already? It's not too late, but you spent today fighting that monster, so you should probably take it easy. You have school tomorrow after all. Get some rest," Morgana suggested. A suggestion that he was not going to argue as he himself would have done so regardless. Morgana could only sigh in worry as he saw the bruises and abrasions on his body that revealed themselves when he took off his clothes and hidden armor he got from the airsoft shop as he prepped to take a bath. "I wonder what those two are doing?" the cat wondered as he looked out the window.

 **-0-0-2-0-0-**

"Come on Yuuno, you're dirty and you need a bath!" Nanoha yelled as she began to try and catch her little animal friend. She was trying for the past 10 minutes to get him to take a bath with her. She didn't know why Yuuno didn't want to take a bath. I mean it's natural for owners and pets to take a bath together, right? She had managed to get him into the room right before the bath, but he was being stubborn.

"No that's alright, I'll be fine!" Yuuno said in a panic as he jumped out of the way of Nanoha's pounce.

"No, you need a bath mister and you're coming in with me whether you like it or not!" Nanoha stubbornly refused his pleas. "And gotcha!" She exclaimed just as she caught him.

"Nononononononono! I'll be fine, please let me go! Okay okay I'll go into the bath, but just stop holding me!" Yuuno bargained as he was unceremoniously carried into the bath only. Without further ado, Nanoha let herself sink into the still warm water letting out a relaxed sigh as she did so, Raising Heart rising to the surface alongside the rest of the necklace she wore to keep the Device close at hand.

"Nanoha-chan is everything alright in there?" her sister Miyuki asked. "I thought I heard something."

"Just Yuuno being stubborn. Don't worry, I got him in the end," Nanoha replied as he felt Yuuno squirm a bit in her arms.

"Alright but don't stay too long okay?" Miyuki warned before walking off.

"Got it!" Nanoha yelled to catch her before she went too far. "So Yuuno, what do you think of Ren and Morgana anyways? I mean they helped us out so far and I don't think they're bad people in the slightest. Do you think they're mages too?" Yuuno, upon hearing her ask, stopped squirming, becoming quite still in order to think and respond properly.

"That's the most likely case. However, it's strange in that they haven't tried to use magic or even a device at all so far, which leads me to believe that they're probably something different," Yuuno postulated, putting one of his stubby forearms to his chin.

"Device?" Nanoha asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"You know, like Raising Heart. Devices are a kind of Magical Terminal to augment a mage's magic or assist in the casting of spells, usually big ones that are difficult and long. They haven't used something similar to call a Barrier Jacket or augment their abilities, which is strange when you consider that Devices or an equivalent are fairly standard fare for any mage," Yuuno explained, but only leading Nanoha to be even more confused.

"So, they're not mages?" She asked, just coming out more and more frazzled the more she thought about it.

"Honestly, I don't have any idea. As I said before, it would probably be best to ask. Their actions so far don't lead me to think they're doing this for any sort of greed or personal gain," Yuuno continued as he began to finally relax in the bath despite his predicament.

"Yeah, I think Ren-san is a really good person. He's like Kyouya-niisan. Kind and dependable, brave and strong, even without magic. Honestly, I wonder who would win. I don't believe he's the kind of person to help for any ulterior motive, so I think we can trust him," Nanoha said as she finally let Yuuno go, to which he swam to the edge of the bath to gain a footing.

"What was it you said? You wanted to be like him?" Yuuno asked once he felt comfortable with his position.

"Um… yeah. It's kind of embarrassing now that you bring it up," she said with a flushed face as she sunk into the water so that all, but her head was covered. "But I mean, he was so brave even without magic. He was like a hero, never backing down or hesitating. I thought, I want to be like that too, standing tall no matter what; making a stand despite the odds and fighting to protect something."

"I think he's a good role model for that honestly. To be frank, had I not given Raising Heart to you, I might have given it to him in hindsight. He might not have had your magical talent, but his mentality would have been perfect,"

"Yeah, I wonder if I should really be keeping Raising Heart," she said as she stared at eh red device that floated in the water. "Maybe he'd do better with her than I could."

" _While Ren Amamiya certainly has comparable magical potential, my Master is Nanoha Takamichi,_ " the device responded, as if it wished to assuage Nanoha of her worries. In fact, perhaps that was indeed the case.

"Thank you, Raising Heart," Nanoha said, as she lifted the jewel out of the water to rub against her cheek.

"Interesting, so he has the makings for a powerful mage then?" Yuuno asked Raising Heart.

" _Full Potential Unknown,_ " was all Raising Heart said in response.

"That's… also interesting. Usually it gives out a definitive ranking possibility. I've never heard that response before," Yuuno said, curious as to the unique reply the Device gave out.

"What am I then?" Nanoha asked, curious as to her potential power.

" _Currently, Master Nanoha Takamichi would be ranked AAA class,_ " Raising replied, though Nanoha didn't know if that was a good or bad thing.

"AAA Class!? That's amazing Nanoha!" Yuuno said, clearly in awe of the little girl's Mana Capacity, and answering Nanoha's question before she could ask it. "That already puts you up there with high ranking Officers!"

"Officers?" Nanoha was about to ask before-

"Nanoha-chan, you've been in there for a while now, what did I tell you about staying in for so long," Miyuki interrupted them.

"Sorry, I'm going to get out now!" Nanoha answered back. "Let's talk later, I want to go to bed now, okay Yuuno." She then grabbed Yuuno and proceeded to exit the bath.

"Uh, right… yeah. Let's go," he said, his fur around the cheeks turning a shade of red again. However, in the back of his mind he couldn't help but wonder, what Raising Heart meant by Ren's potential being unknown. Unless he had some kind of truly wild power… that was supposed to be impossible.

 **-0-0-2-0-0-**

"Good Work today, Nanoha-chan," Ren told the tired girl as he carried her on his back. They had just finished getting their fifth seed and the effort had left the little 9-year-old absolutely tuckered out. It had gotten pretty late, certainly past her bed time, so even if she wasn't exhausted, she would have been sleepy all the same. Morgana and Yuuno following at their side, so as to allow Ren as much space to carry her as he needed.

"Sorry for making you carry me, Ren-san," she said sleepily while trying to lift her head out of his upper back, only to fail and begin using him as a pillow again.

"It's fine, I really didn't do anything tonight, so let me do at least this much for you. Get all the rest you need." Indeed, Nanoha had begun to improve at a rapid pace. For the third Jewel Seed they only needed to give her a bit of time to set up properly, leaving him to just make sure that no bystanders would get caught or even see the proceedings. By the fourth, she took care of it within moments of him pointing out its attack patterns and she struck the winning blow just right after. For tonight, all he did was make sure she stuck to procedure and that was it. He hadn't had to enter combat at all since the second seed.

"That's not true, Ren-san," Yuuno replied. "It's thanks to you that we can be as efficient as we're becoming. You take the lead and give precise instructions to Nanoha during combat to minimize the enemy's movements while maximizing our offense. You can find attack patterns and weaknesses within moments of encountering the target. Not only that but your strategies and tactics regarding each encounter are absolutely masterful. You are a natural tactical leader who can keep his head calm and collected no matter the circumstance. Those are rare valuable skills, especially at your age." Yuuno practically showered the teen in praise. It seems the ferret had not seen anyone so young with as much tactical ability as him.

"It's only natural. Jo- I mean Ren has lots of experience leading others and bringing the best out of them. And what he wasn't as good as, he learned to match from the others to at least a passable extent. Nanoha is a bit younger than what he's used to dealing with, but as always he adapted fast," Morgana said, proud that the others could see the worth of their Leader.

"Whenever you tell me to do something I know that it's the right thing to do, Ren-san. I always feel safe knowing you're watching out for me, like you'll always find a way out no matter what. If it weren't for you, I'd probably a lot more hurt than I am now," Nanoha told him, as she tried to get up again. "I'm really glad you're here with me, Ren-kun. I don't know what I'd do if you were not with us."

"Quite so. I'm afraid to imagine what might have become of us had you not also found us that day. Perhaps we would have already been done in by now," Yunno said with a shudder. "I will also admit that your presence is reassuring, as if you simply being here brings out more of what all of us are capable of."

"Let's not forget Miss Nanoha either though. She's come really far. I mean it's one thing to give great instructions, but it's another thing to execute them. Miss Nanoha has improved so much in so little time," Morgana reminded them. "At this rate all the other seeds will be a breeze. Her accuracy with her attacks is amazing, her timing is on point, and even her battle sense is incredible. You started to have the same ideas Ren did, and you haven't even been doing this for as long."

"Hehehe…" Nanoha laughed weakly, unable to deal with her rising embarrassment from the compliments. In response she tried to hide herself in Ren's back. "Oh, that reminds me," Nanoha said, her head perking. "Um, my dad runs the local kid's soccer team, and tomorrow my friends and I- Oh their names are Suzuka-chan and Alisa-chan, are supposed to cheer them on tomorrow. I asked dad and he said that it would be okay for you to come. Would you like to… you know…?"

"Sorry, but I have something I'm doing tomorrow," he told her. It was something he had planned to do for a while now. Tomorrow being Sunday, it was the only time he could really do it.

"I see," the girl replied cautiously, trying to keep her disappointment down. Though it would pass muster for most, Ren picked up on it.

"We can hang out some other time. Though I don't know what that says about a teenager hanging out with a elementary schooler." It said terrible things. However as long as a certain distance was maintained, it was fine.

"You're right," Nanoha admitted as an embarrassed smile crept its way on to her face. "But I trust you, Ren-san, and I'm sure that Alisa and Suzuka would like you too. I want all my friends to get along."

"I suppose that would be nice," Ren said to acquiesce to her. "Ah, we're here by the way." They had arrived at Nanoha's house just then. All was quiet and dark inside, most likely all the other residents had taken to bed for the night. "I'll let you down here then," he said as he crouched down to allow his passenger to touch the ground with her own two feet.

"Ah, thank you," Nanoha said as she tried to stand up, only to stumble again. "Woah!" She cried as she fell forward and back on to his back. "Sorry," she meekly let out as she realized she was leaning on him again, her face burning bright red and her heart beating quickly.

"No problem. It just means you've worked hard this past week." Ren stayed like that until Nanoha was able to stand back up on her own.

"A good night's rest and you should feel better in the morning," Morgana added as he climbed into Ren's bag.

"Yes, you've earned it Nanoha," Yuuno told her as he leapt onto her shoulder.

"Thanks guys. It's good to know you're all watching out for me. Especially you, Ren-san. Promise we'll hang out next time?" She asked, hoping that he would say yes, this time.

"Promise," Ren told her as he held out his phone. "We've already exchanged numbers, so just let me know if you want to hang out, okay?"

"Then let's shake on it!" Nanoha then held out her hand. This way the promise would be even more official, to her anyway. Then she saw the older boy laugh just a little bit, but nonetheless, his soft smile never left. What she didn't know was that he let slip just a little of something he kept hidden until that moment.

"Alright, princess. I promise." Ren let his Joker mask slip on for just a moment as, instead of simply shaking on it like Nanoha expected, he knelt down, gently taking her hand in his, and kissed the back of it ever so lightly. When he looked back up, her expression was worth it.

"Haaa!" She let out as she became embarrassed from head to toe and began to fidget uncontrollably.

"Hmm?" Ren then got up as he wondered if he had gone to far with his little prank.

"Mou!" She finally was able to muster and as she began to weakly pound against his stomach. "Don't do that so suddenly!"

"Oh, so you'd be okay with it if I told you first? How needy, princess." Now he was just having too much fun at his little companion's expense.

"Grrr…" Tears were beginning to form in her eyes from her indignation. Realizing he might have gone a bit too far, he relaxed himself and began to speak again.

"Sorry, about that. Just thought I'd tease you a bit. I didn't mean to go that far, Nanoha-chan" He apologized sincerely to the 9-year-old, making sure she heard him use her name instead of princess.

"Ah?" Nanoha was caught unawares by his apology. "Um…"

"You were just too cute to pass up for teasing. I'll refrain from doing such in the future," he promised her.

"No, it's okay, just… um…" Nanoha had never felt so completely flat footed before. She simply stood there, her hands held in front of her as she looked down towards the ground to avoid looking him in the eye. Why was he so stupid right now? She couldn't help but think as such, but for some reason she couldn't say she hated the way he acted just then. In fact, she thought it was kind of fun. At least the whole being treated by a gentleman part. Looking at Nanoha, he had to hold himself back from teasing her again.

"Good night Nanoha-chan, and remember. If you need anything, just let me know," he told her to steer the conversation back to normal. He waved his phone lightly to make sure she understood what he meant be letting him know. "Anyways I need my sleep too."

"Yeah, the two of us need to get going. Later guys!" Morgana added as he popped out of the bag to say goodbye.

"Um… okay. Be careful!" She said as she waved to him and Morgana goodbye. He soon walked off and past a corner out of sight. Once she confirmed that she couldn't see him again, she brought her hand down and realized it was the one he kissed. Curious, she began to bring it forward to her own lips. That was, before realizing what she was doing and, while blushing madly again, pulled it away and shook her head to try and get rid of the heat that surfaced beneath her face.

"Nanoha-chan, are you okay? Have you contracted a fever or something?" Yuuno asked, a little worried by the display.

"No, I don't think so. But just in case, I'll ask someone when I get the chance." Maybe her older sister would be able to tell her what was going on. As she and Yuuno made it back to the house, then into their room, Nanoha couldn't help but keep looking at her hand. It still felt warm where he kissed it.

 **-0-0-2-0-0-**

"And they did great!" Her text read. "And after beating them, we went back to Midoriya and are having a celebratory party right now. Here's a picture." And within seconds a picture of Nanoha and two other girls, presumably the Alisa Bannings and Suzuka Tsukimura she mentioned yesterday, having deserts outside the café was sent and displaying on his phone. He couldn't tell which was which, but one of the girls sported long blond hair of which some of it was tied at the sides as small pigtails which curtained a pair of lurid green eyes. She wore a simple red dress that looked somewhat expensive. The other girl had purplish hair and eyes accented by a white headband. She wore what looked to be a modification of a sailor outfit with a pink ribbon at her chest. Poor Yuuno though, he was currently being squeezed tightly by the blonde one.

"Nice!" He texted back simply. Currently he was standing in a convenience store, deciding whether to buy a sports drink or regular water.

"Thanks! Though they're getting pretty suspicious of Yuuno-kun. Oh, Alicia is the blonde one, and Suzuka is the other," Nanoha replied, certainly outpacing his typing speed. "And then-" The text finished unnaturally.

"What's wrong?" Ren texted, worried something might have happened to them.

"No, it's nothing. I think I'm just still tired from last night. I'll be-" Again it finished unnaturally.

"Nanoha?"

"Sorry, my friends took my phone. They're worried what I meant by last night. I mean I didn't get hurt or anything," It seems Nanoha might not yet understand the implications. At least that's better than the alternative, Ren thought. "Anyways, I'm going to say goodbye to my friends here before going home. Good Luck with your thing!" Nanoha then followed it with an emoji to cheer him on. Ren couldn't help but smile. It was weird being adored as such. Closest thing he could think of was with Shinya. That was more a mentor/Big Brother kind of thing with him. Though when he put it like that it wasn't all that different.

"Looks like she still needs some rest huh?" Morgana said as he poked out from Ren's bag to look at the phone. "Woah! Those cakes in the photo look delicious! We have to get that next time we're there." Indeed, they looked nice and fluffy.

"Yeah, but let's leave that for next time," Ren said as he took the water in hand and took it to the counter. Not a moment after he was out and walking about the city. Uminari wasn't as big as Tokyo, but it still had a sizable population and the buildings to count as a city. Skyscrapers that reached high into the sky, packed buildings with nary a space for greenery outside of parks and the like, the hustle bustle of people going about their business, though more casually today since today was a Sunday.

"Right, but are you sure you can find it? I mean a Door to the Velvet Room? If there was one around you'd probably have found it by now," Morgana noted. They'd been back for at least a couple of months now. In that time, he hadn't found a single inkling of a door to the room. "Knowing those guys though, they'd only put one around if you needed it. Though I guess given recent circumstances, perhaps one has showed up recently."

"That's what I'm hoping for honestly," Ren said as he stopped right next then going down an alley way. He'd kept this up since he'd left the house this morning. "Maybe down here?"

"Maybe, I mean didn't you say one showed up next to the Airsoft shop? And another was in the Red-Light District in Shinjuku near where Chihaya was. So maybe instead of random alley ways, we should be checking places we frequent instead." It was a possibility. Problem however, he had no places he frequented in Uminari. He'd go to the Airsoft shop to trade with Iwai, either buying or selling, in order to gear up for their heists. That was if he wasn't working there. Chihaya he went back to not only to solve her problems but also to get fortunes, mostly in relationships and sometimes in learning skills or other things as he needed. But here, the place outside of home and school he frequented was… Midoriya and that was only a few times in order to meet up with Nanoha. "That look tells me nothing's coming to mind when it comes to places you frequent."

"Yeah…" he replied dejectedly as he realized how pathetic it sounded for the former leader of The Phantom Thieves of Heart, to kind of be a loner right now. Once he reached the end of the alleyway, of which just led him back to another open street. He reached into his pocket to look at it once more. In his hand was a velvet key, given to him by Lavenza before he left Tokyo. Apparently, he was supposed to normally receive it as soon as he became a guest of the room. Circumstances prevented that obviously, and he ironically was only given the key after he didn't need their services anymore, at the time anyway. Now it served as his only beacon in hopes that he could find that room again, maybe even obtain the Metaverse App, or just anything so that he could aid Nanoha better.

She's doing fine now, but he was beginning to doubt if she could keep it up. In only a week, five Jewel Seeds had appeared, basically a blitz compared to the trials he had to face. It was clear that it was getting to her, given that she how completely exhausted she had become last night, curfew notwithstanding. As what was basically the adult of the group, he had to find a way to lessen the burden. The only way he could think of though, was to get his powers back. And for that he hoped to find the Velvet Room again. Looking around he saw another alley and began to go down it.

"Maybe this is what Sae-san felt when she apologized for leaving all the work to us." Sae, or Sae Niijima was Makoto's older sister. Though she helped to figure out that it was Shido that was behind it all, in the end it was up to them to steal his heart. When he thought it about it, yeah? He pretty much was in Sae's position now. He could only provide a support position to Nanoha, and while he could help pin things down, it was up to her to finish things off. Hopefully Nanoha wouldn't become like him and start saying things like 'Screw Shitty Adults' and things like that. As he reached the end of that particular alley way however-

"Huh, those kids." Once he got out, Ren saw a pair of kids, a girl and a boy, at the other side of the street, waiting in front of the cross walk. They seemed to be wearing sports jerseys and pants. They looked like the uniforms of the soccer team that Nanoha sent a picture of. The two of them had that puppy love atmosphere that Ren couldn't help but be embarrassed to see. He should probably leave them alone. Just as he was about to turn away however a shining light shot up from where they were standing. Ren knew that light.

"A Jewel Seed!" Morgana quickly pointed out. It was the only explanation as to what was happening. "Look out!" Suddenly from where the young couple was standing, foliage was beginning to grow at an astounding pace, tree branches and the like bursting through the concrete as if it were but sand. The ground shook immensely to the point that even Ren fell to his knees, unable to keep upright. As he looked above he could see the foliage growing past the surrounding buildings, beginning to eclipse even the sky scrapers that stood high in to the sky. It seemed like it would just reach as high as it could without end, and reach out just as far. In all of this however he heard something from above. Instinctually he threw Morgana and his bag off to the side and into the clear space. "Ren!" was all the Cat could say as he saw his friend buried beneath rubble that had been loosened from the disaster brought out by the Jewel Seed. Made even worse by being ground zero for the event. For Ren though, all he could see was darkness.

 **-0-0-2-0-0-**

"…" He thought he heard something. He tried to see if he could move the debris that was supposed to be on his back away, only to find that he didn't feel anything of the sort. He still felt his limbs, his body, and his mind, but it was more like he felt like he was in empty space. "…ks…r…" there it was again, only this time he could make out something. He tried to hone his senses, open his eyes, and do whatever it was that he needed to wake up. "Trickster, can you hear me?"

Suddenly his eyes snapped open, to greet them were a pair dainty black shoes worn by a lithe pair of legs adorned by warm looking socks. Slowly he got up, making sure not to agitate anything that might have been hurt from the falling debris.

"You need not worry about your physical body, it is injured but most certainly fine. For now however, we are currently in a world between dreams and reality," he heard her say as he finally dusted his pants and looked straight at the one currently speaking to him… well he had to look just a bit a ways down. In front of him stood a little girl who looked no older than Nanoha. She had long platinum length hair that was adorned by a velvet blue headband that had silver and gold flower butterfly attachments at the sides near her ears. The dress she wore was also velvet blue and black simple and lacking adornment save for a simple V symbol in gold at the center of her chest. And in her black glove covered arms was a velvet blue book patterned with magical circles. "It is good to see you again Trickster," the girl greeted him, her gold eyes warmly receiving him.

"Hey, Lavenza," he replied back, happy to see her again. "But where are we. This isn't the Velvet Room," indeed it was just a black space. There was nothing as far as the eye could see. It was just… nothing at all.

"I'm sorry to say, but you are indeed correct. This is not the Velvet Room. As someone who has completed their Journey, you are not in need of the room's services," Lavenza stated to him.

"Yeah, about that… you see…"

"I know what you wish to ask for," she began, cutting him off. He could see a bit of Caroline in her for a moment. "However, I must apologize, but we in the Velvet Room currently cannot assist you."

"Why not?" Ren asked, almost in complete disbelief. All this time he'd thought that if he could find the room again he could maybe get his power back. But now that he's gotten so close, he's being told straight away that he'd have to go home empty handed?

"Simply put you cannot use our services as you are now. I wish I could give you a better explanation but that is simply all that I am allowed to tell you," Lavenza said as she then gave him as deep a bow as she could. "I'm sorry." Though he was tempted to do so, he refrained from letting himself get angry. Not at Lavenza, especially not when she was, with her whole heart, apologizing to him for not being able to help him.

"I… I'm not going to say I understand, but I trust you Lavenza. Besides, not like it's any different from when I was in rehabilitation." At least they weren't holding him in a cell this time. Lavenza giggled a bit at his joke.

"Indeed, but know this my Trickster. When the time comes, we will be more than happy to assist you. Just remember that you are still a man without compare in this world. I know that whatever may befall you. You can overcome it so long as you do not give up." Lavenza then gave him a warm, happy smile to the person she loved most in the world. "Please, though the game has changed, and the rules different, you can still win as long as you do not give up. Please show me once more, why it is that I love you so, my Trickster. Show the world once more, why you could stand up to a god, and attain victory." And like that she began to fade into the ether, replaced then by a glowing blue butterfly that flew far and away, farther than his eyes could see. And what entered his vision next, was light.

 **-0-0-2-0-0-**

"Ren, Ren! Wake up! Ren! Please, Wake up!" His flickered awake as he felt his body being rocked gently, and yet ever more violently as each second passed, as if the one doing so was getting more desperate as time went on. From what he could see it was still day outside and that the one trying to wake him up was- "Thank goodness. You're alright!" He heard Nanoha tell him, prompting him to wake up to figure out just what was going on.

"Nanoha? What's going on?" before he was given an answer, he felt the Nanoha bring him into embrace. Still confused he looked around to find Morgana and Yuuno both giving him looks of relief.

"You had us worried there, Ren. Seriously, you couldn't have dove out of the way instead of just tossing me like a bag of trash?" Though Morgana was joking, it was clear that he was absolutely ecstatic to see his friends fine, save for a few scuffs and bruises that were showing. "Sorry to say though, I don't think it'll leave a scar. Ladies love scars, but it's not like you needed them before."

"Really? I wasn't aware that proof of injury was so attractive. But that's not the point, are you alright Ren-san?" Yuuno asked him still somewhat worried about him. "Though I was able to heal your injuries I might have missed a few."

"You better tell us if something is wrong," he heard Nanoha say into his chest, still not letting him go as if he'd disappear at any moment.

"I'm," he began as he one by one felt around to make sure that nothing was out of the ordinary. "I'm fine, still a little out of it, but I'm fine. Based on the fact that you two are here and not panicking then, I guess you guys took care of the seed?"

"That's right, we found the source of it right away and were able to neutralize the threat immediately. But then afterwards, Nanoha-chan and I tried to contact you only to receive no reply. We searched desperately, hoping you two didn't get caught up in the damage."

"Then, we found Morgana and he told us you got caught under some rubble that fell down when the tree grew. I, I was scared when I saw you hurt. I thought you might have died," Nanoha cried as her embrace tightened remembering how frightened she was at the prospect of losing someone so close to her. Though they had not known each other for long, it was clear to him that she was beginning to value him a great deal, perhaps to the point where she can no longer imagine him being out of her life. Of course, that was just speculation on his part.

"But as you can see I'm fine. Yuuno, was anyone else hurt?" Looking at the ferret, he gave the young man a simple sideways nod to indicate no.

"As far as I can tell, we were lucky. I think you're the only one who was majorly injured today. At most, based on the chatter I'm picking up, there were just minor injuries," Yuuno told him.

"How come people aren't panicking?" He just realized. Normally after something of this scale, people would be completely in disarray. Sure, Japan would be abnormally calm about it, being able to funnel themselves to the shelters and such, but there would still be a commotion all the same.

"I made sure to set up a barrier so that people wouldn't remember or be in the area. Barriers are one of the magics I specialize in. Actually, they're probably one of the only ones I specialize in," Yuuno explained. "I've also set them up in all of our captures prior if it helps."

"That certainly explains a lot, but if you set up a barrier each time doesn't that mean you set one up the first time we met?" Morgana asked, curious about these barriers he was talking about.

"Well if you're wondering how you were able to meet us otherwise, then I suppose you two were just powerful enough to bypass it. That's normal, and besides that, I wasn't expecting anyone of your caliber to arrive. Though I suppose in retrospect it's a blessing in disguise," Yuuno said as he scurried over to Nanoha's side. "Nanoha-chan, I think you should let go of him." Only just then at his prompting did Nanoha realize that she had been clinging on to him this whole time.

"Sorry!" She cried in a panic as she worried that she might have done something unwanted. "It's just… Ren got hurt today because I wasn't vigilant enough. Lot's of people got hurt today. I'm still not good enough on my own. And then on top of that, when I think I might have lost Ren forever I… I…" tears began to well up in her eyes as she was about to break out into a cry. The thought that Ren could have died, that she'd never see him again, was truly beginning to sink in to her conscious mind. Every second that past further drove the point into her further and further, that her carelessness hurt one of the people she'd come to care for the most.

"Miss Nanoha, though it was a critical mistake, it isn't irrecoverable," Morgana began, his speaking managing to prevent Nanoha from completely breaking down as she paid attention to the seasoned feline. "It's not like Ren or I blame you for what happened or that we're really hurt. We all make mistakes. The difference however, will be made on whether or not you choose to learn from this. In this case, be sure that you truly understand what's at stake if we don't do our jobs. The city can recover this time, and Ren isn't too hurt by this, this time. Let's all strive in the future to get those Jewel Seeds more thoroughly then!"

"Morgana-kun…" Nanoha had clearly been assuaged by his words.

"Hey, Ren," he began to whisper to Ren. "I'm still scarily good if I don't say so myself. Think you can slip me some extra tuna tonight?" He pet Morgana on the head to which the cat let out an unintentional meow. "Hey, stop that!" Instead of stopping however, Ren turned to look at the little girl who still sat next to him.

"Hey, Nanoha-chan?"

"What is it Ren?"

"Hmm? When did you stop using san?" Yuuno asked.

"Be- Be quiet! Anyways what were you saying Ren?" Nanoha had become flustered again at Yuuno's question but tried to ignore it to the best of her ability.

"Well I was just going to say. Sorry for leaving it all to you. Morgana and I weren't able to help much, and in fact we kind of just ended up as dead weight this time. Talk about a failure of an adult then." Not that Ren considered himself an adult in the first place.

"Idiot!" She said as she hit him. It was just a light slap to the face, but still he hadn't expected Nanoha to actually hit him. "I don't care about that!" She told him as she looked at him eye to eye. "You said it right? We have to work together! This time maybe you couldn't do as much, but maybe next time you'll be the one who will do most of the work and I just have to finish it. As long as all of us make it out okay I don't care who does what. So please stop beating yourself up about this stuff, please?" she pleaded. It wasn't that Ren needed to be told that. Of course, it didn't matter who did what so long as everyone was safe in the end. But… he still couldn't help but feel that there was more he could do.

"You're right Nanoha-chan," He said to placate her. He accepted it in his mind, but his heart still couldn't let it go.

"Really? Are you not just saying that?" Ren made a mental note that Nanoha was sharp as a tack.

"How about we get out of this alleyway then before people show up?" He said as a distraction. At least here she was sidestepped.

"Oh, Right! Here!" she held out a hand to help him up. Deciding that if he couldn't completely agree with her, he would at least accept her offer to help. At this point, who knew what was in store for the two.

 **-0-0-2-0-0-**

"Ren are you okay? We heard that there was some big damage that happened in Uminari," Futaba was first to text him on the group chat on his phone when he got home.

"Yeah, something about a terrorist attack or something. Police can't figure out who or what caused it though," Ryuji clarified, telling Ren just what the outside world that was going on.

"Apparently the damage was widespread and hit many areas, but no one was majorly hurt," Haru went on to say. "Ren please answer us if you can see this."

"Morgana and I are fine guys, thanks for worrying," He texted to make sure they knew he was well.

"Phew, even Big Sis was asking if you were okay. Glad to see you're alright, Ren." Makoto's visible face of relief popped up in his mind as he read that message, as well as Sae's.

"Yeah, Dad's been pacing the room like mad this whole time. I don't know if he was more worried for you or Mona. I've got to let him know you're okay," Futaba texted next.

"It would have been quite disastrous to see our leader in dire straight as it were. I myself was unable to even pick up a brush once I'd heard the news," Yusuke admitted.

"Like for real. It was like that time we had to pretend you died when we heard on the news about your suicide, or like, I mean, when Akechi-kun thought he killed you. Only this time I was shocked for real. I was even in the middle of a modeling session when the news broke," Ann recounted the moment when she was made aware of the incident.

"I'm fine, no damage to the area I live either, was a bit shaken," Ren texted them. It was a lie, but they couldn't tell that through text. And besides he did make it out fine in the end.

"Seriously, though. What do you think it could have been?" Ryuji asked the group. "Honestly, based on the picks it really doesn't look like it could have been a terrorist attack."

"I mean, no one's come to claim it, and not only that the damage looks more like trees run rampant than anything else. The way the damage runs across the streets, the way buildings have been pushed aside, it reminds me of pushy plants growing too quickly and greedily taking up nutrients and space," Haru pointed out… Ren thought it was quite scary how almost on the nose Haru's observation was. It was an observation that really would have come from someone who's past time was horticulture. "Of course, that would be ridiculous as even the biggest trees wouldn't be that big."

"It's interesting to think that events like this occur whenever Ren is around. Nothing even approaching this sort of event occurred in Tokyo ever since you left," Yusuke mused.

"Um… does that mean you weren't making stuff up when you were talking about being involved with Magical girls, Ren?" Makoto asked, cautiously.

"Oh don't bring it up guys. Isn't it just him playing with this Nanoha-chan?" Ann reminded them.

"You're right, but it would make sense. I mean magical girls probably have some ability to obfuscate their activities, and the giant monsters they fight every week would match the size of this kind of thing, and not only that the fact that no one is hurt is also something like in magical girl shows…" Futaba was beginning to really scare Ren. "Of course, not like that actually happened."

"Well if nothing else, we're just glad you're okay Ren," Ann told him. "I have to get back to this stupid homework."

"Yeah, Sojiro is saying don't forget to visit if you can. Laters!" Futaba then left the chat.

"I have to get back to my own studies as well, Good bye everyone." Makoto was next to leave.

"Get some rest, dude. After today, you're going to need it." Ryuji then signed off.

"I've just gotten some inspiration for a painting just now based on your survival and our reactions. I need to capitalize on it now so I'll be taking my leave here." Yusuke promptly left as well.

"Ren, if you need anything, just let us know, okay? We're here for you. Money isn't an issue. Neither is distance. Take care!" Haru said as she was the last to leave aside from himself.

"Man, we really do have the best kind of friends, don't we?" Morgana asked as he then plopped himself back down onto his bed.

"Yeah. I feel really bad about lying to them though," he admitted.

"Well, we have tried to tell them, but it's not like this stuff is easy to believe. Heck we haven't even begun to explain to Miss Nanoha who we are." Morgana brought up a very good point. Each time they were asked by the other half of their team, they simply shrugged and ignored the question all together. Overall the two of them just kept making sure to avoid the subject entirely. It wasn't like Personas were some major secret or anything. It's just that what could they do with it. Besides that, keeping it secret was more out of habit than anything else. Actually, perhaps it was about safety so that they couldn't be traced. That was probably it.

"Well if anything we have to make sure that we're prepared for anything next time," Ren said as he prepared for bed for the night.

"Yup, let's make sure that the next time a Jewel Seed Appears, we can deal with it no matter what it is."

 **-0-0-2-0-0-**

"So yeah I'm pretty sure none of us were ready for this…" Morgana let out as the four of them just looked up blankly at the jewel seed target.

"MEOW," it let out as it stomped through the area. What the four of them saw was apparently Suzuka's cat walking around as a giant. Apparently while Nanoha was over at Suzuka's house to play with Alisa in tow, they detected the presence of a Jewel Seed. Before engaging they made sure to call Ren and Morgana over, who had been nearby trying to fish at the river.

"Well to explain, it probably had its wish to grow bigger granted. I'm guessing that's what happened anyways…" Yuuno said, completely dumbfounded that this was even possible to begin with.

"I-I see," Nanoha said as she rubbed her head in confusion.

"Nonetheless we have to turn it back to normal. Even the most benign of creatures will have dangers attached to them when a Jewel Seed is involved," Yuuno prompted everyone.

"Yeah, even Suzuka will have problems if the cat's that big," Nanoha stated.

"So far hasn't tried to attack us so I think it's still got its personality intact despite the change," Ren pointed out. "Morgana go!"

"What am I supposed to do? I mean yeah we're both cats but… Hey! Argh! Look there's nothing I can do in this situation. I can't even talk to cats!" Morgana told them angrily.

"Then Nanoha, Go!" Ren followed. To which the girl nodded. But before she could bring out Raising Heart!

"MEOW!" the giant cat yelped as it was pelted by an unknown flash of light from the distance, a light similar to the magic Nanoha uses.

"Magic? No way, but how?" Yuuno exclaimed, confirming the attack to be magic in origin. Noticing this, Nanoha immediately went into action.

"Raising Heart! Please!"

" _Stand By Ready, Set Up!"_ In moments the girl became dressed in her barrier jacket. Pink wings then sprouted on her feet and she flew up into the air.

"More incoming, protect the Cat with whatever you got, Nanoha!" Ren commanded as he saw more coming in to pelt the poor pet.

"Roger!" Nanoha confirmed as she flew atop of the cat.

" _Wide Area Protection!"_ Raising Heart said as it projected a magical shield to stop the incoming hail of magical fire. Each shot was then snuffed out of existence as it hit the barrier.

"Good Job! Look out!" Ren told her as a shot was then fired just below the barrier at the cat's feet. Unfortunately, this caused the cat to come tumbling down. Nanoha, none the worse for wear, jumped up and then floated down in front of the cat, keeping Raising Heart at the ready for whoever it was that had come to assail them.

"Maybe…" Ren heard from Yuuno perched on his shoulder. "Maybe there's nothing left for me to teach her…" Before Ren could answer that however, he heard someone land on a branch nearby.

The girl that stood there had long flowing blond hair tied into pig tails that reached her knees by two black ribbons. Her outfit was mostly dark, tied by red belts right below the chest, on her arm, as a choker, at her waist where her skirt was and her at the top of her two black stockings. Her skirt was in two pieces, a black center piece that was adorned by the second piece consisting of a pink portion that formed the rest of it. Atop her shoulders sat a cape that reminded Ren of a vampire's cape with the collar and coloration. Lastly in her hand was a wand shaped like a bardiche weapon. When Ren looked at her eyes though, while they were a bright crimson that should have shown life, instead they look like they held something else. Her eyes also drew in Nanoha, who couldn't help but stare at those ruby reflections.

"Huh?" Was all the response Nanoha could muster in the face of the new Magical girl that had appeared.

"A mage with similar skills… Is she looking for the Lost Logia as well?" The new addition said to herself without acknowledging their presence.

"There's no mistaking it, she's from my world," Yuuno told the rest of them. "And she knows about the Jewel Seeds."

"Then is she here to help us or…?" Morgana asked but began to trail.

"An intelligent Device similar to my own Bardiche," the mystery magical girl remarked.

"Bardiche?" Ren repeated… what an original name. What's next? Staff? Wand? Or how about Sword? For him he guessed it would be Knife.

" _Scythe Form Set Up!_ " the girl's intelligent device stated as, after a flourish, the bladed part rose up to be perpendicular to the staff and the projected a yellow blade that indeed resembled a reaper's scythe. The girl then placed both hands on her weapon and looked prepared to strike at any moment.

"Well at least it's clear she's not here to help," Morgana said, tensing up from the girl's clear display of animosity. Yuuno also watched on with caution, wondering just where the girl had come from exactly. Ren however, made sure that his knife was ready just in case. He hated the thought of having to fight a girl as young as Nanoha, but if he had no choice then…

"I'm sorry, but I'll be taking that Jewel Seed."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Writing this is so much easier when you have a basic template to work with. Unlike with FiEW, where I have to make basically everything to do with the plot up myself. For this I just have to make sure I have the respective show open and follow it decently, making changes as needed and adding scenes where applicable. I made sure to watch the show once over by itself. Now as I'm writing it I just make sure to go through the episodes piece by piece and writing the scene that shows up and trying to be accurate, except for of course when I have to add in P5's influence.

But yes, this should, as a result, be much faster than FiEW's schedule since I'm not having to rethink half the stuff that goes on in my head, instead it will only be a quarter. Again, to those who didn't read it before, I do plan on bringing Personas back in at some point, but exactly when I'll let you figure it out. After all Persona is the name of the other series being crossed over here and as such it would be criminal to not have them in some way shape or form. As for the merging of the two universes it's just going to be a straight and basic, they just exist side by side. I might, if I can spare it integrate things a bit more deeply, but don't expect too much.

As for now I'm trying to show the growing relationship that Nanoha and Ren have going on. I'm trying to make it come off as more of a precocious crush kind of thing than out an out want to get in the pants stuff that other romances might go. Whatever else I have planned you'll just have to see, but I'm trying to make this as wholesome and cute as possible. Lolis are already cute and I've been playing Teaching Feeling to get a better feel on how to express the adorableness of situations involving them (sans of course the not adorable parts of that eroge, though Nanoha as a character was from Triangle Heart 3 which was itself an Eroge with Nanoha's Older Brother as the protagonist).

So next time we introduce the other poster girl of the Nanoha Franchise, the pretty much other half of the show that makes it as beloved as it is in anime. How this plays out, you'll just have to wait until the next chapter, but I promise the results will be explosive thanks to the addition of Personium in the chemical mixture that is this story. I'm also trying to bring out more of Ren's attempts at trying to bear the burden for Nanoha but failing. I don't know how well that is coming across, but I want to seem like he doesn't really have a choice in the matter, and he might just have to accept that fact.

As always leave a review if you found something wrong with the writing, or something particularly done well. I don't care if it's one or the other as both help me immensely, both as an ego boost, and as a means of improvement.

Well, thanks for reading. I hope I was able to bring you some level of enjoyment, and make sure to have a wonderful day.


	3. Chapter 3: Clash & Burn

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Clash & Burn**

All was still as the four watched the opposing blonde magical girl with growing anticipation. Her wand-now-scythe held ready to strike at any moment. Ren was familiar with this moment. It was similar to when he and his friends faced off against particularly powerful shadows. The tension was palpable and suffocating. To not know what your opponent would do, to not know what to do next either, it was at these moments where they were tested the most. Suddenly, though without warning, the blonde girl flew forward, her target being the other magical girl in the vicinity.

" _Evasion! Flier Fin!_ " Raising Heart was able to automatically cast spells before any of them could react. Only Nanoha was able to regain composure fast enough to make use of the spell to evade the slash that the other Magical Girl had made. Though she had missed her attack, she didn't seem nonplussed in the slightest. She simply stared up at Nanoha, who was still too confused about the whole thing to make any meaningful counterattack. The three of them still on the ground didn't move, still unsure as to what she was capable of. Ren himself also was cautious to find the right opportunity. Like last time, the blonde girl suddenly placed herself into a stance.

" _ARC SABER!_ " Her device declared as she then swiped her scythe, creating a crescent of Energy that flew towards where Nanoha was.

"Nanoha!" All Yuuno could do was cry her name as he watched the attack fly towards the girl.

" _Protection!_ " Raising Heart automatically used the defensive spell right before the attack struck. Despite the spell going off as intended, an explosion occurred when the strike collided with Nanoha's shield, kicking up dust and smoke in its wake. A second later, Nanoha flew upwards, coughing and somewhat star struck from the impact. She had no time to recover as the blonde girl quickly flew above her and swung her scythe down. Nanoha was only barely able to block the strike using Raising Heart.

"Dammit, we're sitting ducks down here," Morgana couldn't help but say as the three of them realized there wasn't much they could do. It was clear that Nanoha was being put on the run. Whether because she was outmatched or outwilled didn't matter. That didn't change the fact that at this rate, Nanoha was going to lose. Though it would only work once, he felt that this was his only opportunity.

"Why are you doing this?" Nanoha asked as their weapons clashed with one another, the energy scythe failing to cut through the staff. Though Nanoha was steeled to struggle, it looked like the other girl wasn't putting much energy into the fight at all.

"Even if I told you, it wouldn't matter." Nanoha became frustrated. Why wouldn't it have mattered, she wondered. She couldn't understand why the other girl felt the need to fight them. Wasn't she here to stop the Jewel Seeds from running amok? If so why wasn't she helping them. Though she wanted to ask these questions, before she could, the two disengaged their clash. Nanoha landed on the ground below in an area distant to Ren and the others, while the blonde girl landed on a different tree branch.

"Freeze!" The two of them heard off into the distance, turning to see who it was. The both of them turned to see Ren standing firm with a gun in his hand, pointed at the other girl. "One false move and I don't think you'll be in any shape to return home." Though he said that, it was just a fake. One of a few fake guns he still had from his Phantom Thief days. In the Metaverse, if the opponent believed it to be real, that it became real, which is why they got away with using fake guns in there that ended up just as effective as the real thing. At times it worked to a scary level given that Haru used a grenade launcher. Hopefully this would, at best, scare off the girl and make her consider leaving. At worst he could use it as a moment to let Nanoha catch her breath.

"Ren, what are you doing?!" Nanoha cried, wondering how and why he had a gun.

"It's just a fake Nanoha, don't worry. He's just bluffing. Hopefully it will make the other girl leave, or at the very least willing to talk," Nanoha heard Yuuno tell her telepathically through magic. Nanoha filled with relief when she heard as such. Ren wouldn't do something as bad as try to shoot someone, especially someone her age, right? Then again, she really didn't know much about him to be honest.

"A mass weapon?" Was all they heard her say. Ren's eyes narrowed at the remark. He'd ask what mass weapon meant later from Yuuno. The more pressing matter was that the girl wasn't phased in the slightest. Though it was a fake, it pretty much looked exactly like the real thing. Iwai wouldn't have let his guns pass muster otherwise. "No matter." Was all he heard before the girl rushed toward him. Without a word more, she swiped horizontally at him only to be surprised to see him duck under the swing. Without missing a beat though, she went for another strike, only to watch him dodge each one with minimal difficulty each time, like she was almost being played with. Though she could see that the sweat on his brow and staggered breaths that he wasn't going to last much longer. One more time, she swung again, this time at a diagonal angle. This was what he was waiting for however, the chance he needed.

"What?" she let out in surprise as he deftly caught the scythe by the handle mid-swing thanks to his larger limbs, and was now pointing the gun now directly at her forehead.

"Ren!" Nanoha cried when she saw the blade still digging into his shoulder. Though the young man had caught the scythe, the curved blade still managed to make contact with him despite his best efforts. The plasma energy emanating from the blade made a clear sizzling sound as it began to burn his shoulder.

"Looks like we have a game of chicken, and I'm holding all the triggers." Ren made sure to not let show the pain that was searing into him. He'd worn a mask pretty much all last year, he could do to wear another now. To emphasize his point to her, he made sure to tap the tip of the barrel on her head just a bit. To her credit she didn't flinch even the smallest amount. "Either you get off, or I shoot. I think you know what the beneficial decision for both parties here is." Though he didn't show it, he was surprised that the girl was able to maintain her scythe's position when he tried to push it off just then. It was taking all he had to keep her weapon from slicing his entire arm clean off.

"So, what do you say?" he asked, his old days of holding up shadows coming into play as he continued to maintain his façade of confidence. That wasn't to say he didn't have any confidence, more like an energy scythe burning his shoulder and threatening to cut off his arm wasn't exactly the best booster for that sort of thing. He thought he was doing pretty well all things considered, especially with a fake gun. Looking over to check the others, he saw just what he wanted to see before turning back to the girl.

"Neither," was the only response he was given before the girl suddenly pulled her scythe back to catch him off guard. Though he let go, he had enough reflexes to not stumble when she pulled the weapon back. Luckily so, since she then slashed at him again immediately after bringing it back enough for a full swing. This time, Ren brought up his combat knife to parry the blade rather than catch it. When the two collided, the knife held only for a moment before being slowly cut into by the scythe. Knowing a losing proposition when he saw one, he immediately let the knife go, and backed off, going low to the ground so as to avoid the arc of the swing that followed after. What was left of the knife dropped to the ground in two pieces, both red hot and melted at the point it was cut. He didn't have any spares on him, since he didn't expect a seed to appear today.

"Now Nanoha!" Yuuno commanded, as the girl turned to see Nanoha in Shooting Mode, her staff pointed straight at her. Though it was only a glance it was all the girl needed to see that the attack aimed at her would do an impressive amount of damage. The number of circles surrounding her, the ambient magic energy in the air, she realized that she couldn't afford to be hit by this, no matter what.

"Divine Bus-!"

"Not so fast!" Nanoha stopped her spell immediately as she whipped her view to the side to see Ren being held down underfoot by an unknown individual. The person who suddenly appeared had orangish, almost peach colored hair that naturally separated into two, reaching down to her thighs. On her forehead was what looked to be a small jewel that was the same color as her hair. Her white top was quite daring, showing a generous amount of her ample cleavage, tied by a neat red bow that failed to cover her midriff. Though she had a capelet similar in coloration to the one worn by the blonde girl. She wore purplish pink hot-pants, leaving it unbuttoned and partially unzipped but also had an extension of her capelet wrapped around her waist. The silver armguards and greaves seemed to be the only decent form of protection on her body, the heel of which was currently being dug into Ren's back. However the most striking thing about her was that she had ears and a tail, tipped white at the ends.

"Dammit…" Ren whispered, frustrated at having been caught off guard as well as being the second time he'd been pinned like this. When he wasn't paying attention she practically jumped him, knocking the gun out of his hand and putting him to the floor. He struggled a bit before the wolf eared girl dug her heel deeper into his spine.

"Quiet, you," she said as Ren still continued to struggle. While doing so, her arm was then surrounded by yellow magical circles before an orb of magic manifested itself at the palm of her hand, of which she pointed at him. "Now then, if you don't want to see him smeared across the floor, disengage your device and surrender," she let them know in uncertain terms, and unlike when Ren made the threat, this one could certainly be followed up on.

"Ren!" Nanoha involuntarily cried in worry as she saw her friend being held hostage. What could she do? She couldn't fire on them, or else Ren would be caught in the blast. She didn't have high speed. She didn't know any spell that could get him out of his situation.

"Nanoha, we might have to give up here…" Yuuno told her. There had to be something she could do. She couldn't let the Jewel Seed go, but at the same time, if Ren got hurt…

"Mrrawr!" they suddenly heard as Morgana leapt at the wolf girl from the trees, biting onto her shoulder as he did so. "Le ai frienn go you anjy utt!" he yelled through his muffled mouth as he bit as hard as he could to stay on.

"The hell!? Get Off!" The wolf girl swung around, trying to free herself of Morgana's grasp before finally just pulling him off with her enhanced strength.

"Leave him alone!" Morgana said, still defiant even after being held by the scruff of his neck. He struggled to get free, moving as much as he could. Occasionally he would try to claw at her in the hopes of scratching her up.

"Damned Cat!" Rather than deal with him any longer, she simply threw Morgana into the nearest tree.

"Oof," was the only thing Morgana let out on impact before landing on the ground. "Dammit, out done buy a mutt… how humiliating." Morgana then fell unconscious as his injury got to him.

"Morgana!" Ren yelled, now struggling even more underneath her heel.

"Well then, little girl? What say you now?" The wolf girl completely ignored Ren to ask Nanoha again what she would do. Unfortunately, they had them completely dead to rights.

"I… I…"

"Nanoha!" Ren shouted, trying to prevent what was coming. In his mind, surrendering still wasn't an option. If they were willing to go so far as to attack others for the seeds, then they had to be stopped. Whatever their motives were, their methods went too far. He spent too long fighting people like that, people who just did whatever they could for and with power, to just give up like this now. However, while that might have been the case for him, for a 9-year-old girl that only just recently entered this world, it was simply too much.

"I sur…"

"MEOW," she suddenly heard from the side, as the giant cat began get up, thus distracting her. That was enough for the other girl though.

"I'm sorry," the blonde girl whispered as she fired a blast straight at Nanoha. All she saw before impact was the flash of yellow flying towards her.

"Kya!" Nanoha screamed as she flew from the blast straight into the air. Though her Barrier Jacket protected her from that attack, it finally gave out before she began to fall straight to the ground.

"Nanoha-chan!" Yuuno proceeded to run over to where she was going to land and immediately began to cast a spell to dampen her fall. Luckily he had made it in time, Nanoha falling safely into his magic array like a feather. As he was doing so though, the other party made their move to capture the Jewel Seed. The blonde girl landed in front the cat and disengaged the scythe form of her weapon.

" _Sealing Form Set Up!"_ Bardiche let out, opening up into a form similar to Raising Heart's own Sealing Form.

"Capture," she said as she struck the ground, the magical energy digging through the earth until it hit the cat, giving it a massive shock. In the midst of it, the Jewel Seed popped out.

" _Order?_ " the device asked.

"Lost Logia Jewel Seed Serial 14, Seal!" She commanded her device.

" _Yes Sir!_ " Raising Bardiche into the air, she then fired a barrage of magical energy into the air that proceeded to fall back down onto the cat, forming a magical array that completely encircled the creature. Once completed, a great light burst forth high into the sky. Within moments, the light died down, to reveal the cat, at its normal size, and the seed. The girl then approached the seed and proceeded to absorb it into her staff, like Nanoha did with the previous ones. Once she confirmed that she had it, she looked over to where Nanoha had been knocked out. She was completely out cold, laying on the magical array meant to catch her that Yuuno had formed, of whom was standing right by her. Her ears then trailed over to the grunts and sounds made by Ren, who was now struggling even more than before.

"Get off me!" He told them as he continued to struggle.

"Arf, let's go…" the girl told the wolf girl, inadvertently revealing her name in the process.

"Of course, Fate…"Arf confirmed, also revealing the name of the blonde girl. As she lifted her leg, she then quickly delivered a swift kick to the side.

"Argh!" Ren held his side as he slid a bit from the impact of the kick. Combined with the pain from his burn on his shoulder, it practically paralyzed him. Before he could even open his eyes he heard the sound of the two leaving, flying into the horizon until the two couldn't be seen anymore. "Dammit…" he cursed as he got up, his legs still fine.

"Ren, you shouldn't be moving!" Yuuno told Ren as he walked over to pick up Morgana, holding the cat in his arms, and then proceeding to walk over to where Nanoha and Yuuno were.

"I'll be fine," he said as he knelt down to see how Nanoha was doing. "Is Nanoha okay?" he asked as he began to check over her for injury. She seemed okay, but she being knocked out could hide a few other issues or complications.

"Honestly, you're worse off. She has a Barrier Jacket to protect her and mitigate injury. You on the other hand were taking hits directly, not even mentioning the plasma you were being exposed to. Here!" Yuuno explained as he began to use a healing spell. Within moments, Ren could feel the pain leave his shoulder as well as his stomach from where he'd been kicked. "It's not perfect so you have to rest afterwards, you hear me? You can't afford to be reckless. Morgana looks fine though, just knocked out."

"Yeah, thank goodness…" Ren let out a relieved sigh, happy to hear that his friend would be okay. He gave a Morgana another glance over, making sure he really wasn't hurt. As always he could rely on him when the going gets rough, even for car repair. That still left Nanoha, however. "You still didn't answer my question though. Is Nanoha going to be alright?"

"She'll be fine, but I need you to do something if she's going to make it." Yuuno apparently already had a plan in mind. Whatever it was it couldn't be that bad.

"Sure, what is it?"

 **-0-0-3-0-0-**

"You had us so worried, Nanoha!"

"Yeah, you disappeared so suddenly we didn't know what to do." The two that spoke were Alisa and Suzuka, Nanoha's friends who she was playing with earlier that day. Currently they were gathered in one of the spare bedrooms of Suzuka's mansion. Aside from them, Ren, Morgana, and Yuuno, there was also Kyouya, Nanoha's older brother, Suzuka's older sister Shinobu, the head maid Noel, and Farin, Suzuka's Personal maid. Nanoha's two friends stayed at her bedside, one of her arms wrapped in bandages and her other wounds dressed as appropriate.

"I'm sorry guys, it's just I was so worried when I lost sight of Yuuno, I kind of panicked and ran into the forest after him. I guess I must have tripped and lost consciousness…" That was the story the four of them had agreed on.

"Thanks again for bringing her back here. You're Ren Amamiya, right? Nanoha's tutor that mom hired? I don't think we've been properly introduced. I'm Kyouya, Nanoha's older brother. Nice to meet you." Kyouya held his hand out to which Ren promptly shook.

"That's right, I've been generally tutoring her on pretty much any subject she brings up," Ren said to try and cover his basics.

"So, say again, you were basically fishing in the forest while doing so Yuuno found you and led you to Nanoha-chan?" Shinobu asked to confirm once more.

"Yeah, I was just coming to check the river fish since I was fishing at sea earlier today. That's when I ran into Yuuno who led me to where Nanoha was. Then he led me to back to the mansion."

"Where you ran into us," Kyouya finished for him.

"Right," Ren confirmed… at least to help bolster the story he was trying to sell. "Want some of the fish I caught?"

"Oh, I might be able to whip something up with these, they're quite the catch," Noel said, taking a look into the cooler of fish that Ren had. "Thank you"

"Hey! You said we'd have those for dinner!" Morgana cried indignantly, though it only came out as typical meowing to the rest of them.

"Aw, I suppose I'll leave a few for little Morgana then. The prince needs his fish I suppose. Besides you caught quite a lot here, and I can't possibly take it all." Noel closed the freezer box and began to walk out of the room. "Farin, stay here in case they need anything. I'll be in the kitchen preparing dinner then. If it's a real emergency do not hesitate to call me." Noel then exited the room with the freezer box in tow.

"I think the rest of us should also let Nanoha-chan rest, she's still injured after all," Shinobu suggested. "Come on, let's go." With Kyouya in tow, they followed after the head maid.

"Don't worry, if you're still tired later, I'll do something about it when we're going home," Kyouya said before following Shinobu out.

"Alright, onee-chan. We'll be sure to see you off later Nanoha-chan," Suzuka was first to say.

"Yeah, you need to take it easy for now Nanoha," Alisa followed. However, instead of leaving like the others immediately, they both walked up to Ren.

"Thank you for helping our friend, Amamiya-san. Allow me to formally introduce myself. I'm Suzuka Tsukimura. Nanoha can be reckless sometimes so it was lucky that you were around to help her out today. Please continue to look after her in her studies as well in the future." Suzuka was rather polite and soft spoken, but her care for her friend shown through. It reminded Ren of the tight knit bond between he and his friends.

"Yeah, she can be quite bullheaded about things, solving problems with brute force and lacking any finesse. I'm glad that she has such a dependable tutor around to help out. Ah, I'm Alisa Bannings by the way, it's great to finally meet you." Though she was blunt about it, she was honest with her assessment. It probably showed just how close they were that they were able to be so frank about one another. The two of them curtsied, to which Ren and Morgana returned a slight bow in return.

"Right, she does sometimes like a bit grace going about things," Ren agreed. The three of them shared a laugh that helped to lighten the mood just a bit.

"Hey! I'm right here you know," Nanoha reminded them, disgruntled by her friends talking about her in such a manner.

"Now now Nanoha, is that anyway to talk to the one who saved your life? Isn't there something you should say first?" Although Suzuka would have been right in most cases, it just so happened that this time was not one of them. Nonetheless the Nanoha had to play along.

"Um… I'll… I'll do it later when it's just the two of us," Nanoha, in a combination of nerves and being put on the spot, suddenly blurted out. Ren couldn't help but wish he still had his glasses, so he could have the excuse of readjusting them. He wondered if it was possible for her to have said anything that could have caused a greater misunderstanding. Probably, but luckily it wasn't today.

"Ho? Is there something you need to tell us? Wait, is he the one you were texting that time after the soccer game?" Alisa intuited quite sharply, though it seems her conclusion might have been way off the mark. Hopefully it was anyways.

"Oh my, really? Then I believe we must leave right now. Farin, let's go," Suzuka commanded as she, Farin, and Alisa began to head out of the room, not even bothering to hide their (not really) knowing smiles from them.

"Of course. Let's leave Miss Nanoha to properly convey her feelings," Farin said, whose wording Ren surmised was meant to fluster the poor 9-year-old. Of course, looking at Nanoha, it was clear that she wasn't ready to deal with such teasing, given how flushed she looked right now. Again, he wished he wore his fake glasses again.

"Don't take too long, now. You don't want to talk for as long as Kyouya-san and Shinobu-san, right? Unless that's exactly what you want." Alisa immediately closed the door, if only to avoid being hit in the face with a pillow. That just left the four of them in the room proper. After catching a bit of her breath, Nanoha managed to calm down. However, with a few glances around the room, she once again realized, that she and Ren were the only two humans left in the room. Nanoha, with all her years of experience did the only thing she knew to do in situations like this, twiddle her thumbs and do plum nothing. Ren wished he could help the poor girl, but anything he did would have probably just made things worse.

"Well, to bring things to a more depressing topic, today's operation was a resounding failure on pretty much all accounts…" Morgana was the first to say. "We were beaten pretty much as soundly as we could have been." His statement reminded the room that today wasn't a day to be taking things so leisurely. Both Ren and Nanoha were brought back down as they remembered what had transpired just a few hours ago.

"I must admit I hadn't expected someone from my world to have shown up, or at the very least I wasn't expecting someone as hostile. She's using the same magic system, the same technology, but it's clear she had much more experience than any of us in this regard," Yuuno stated, recalling their opponent today. "Not only that but she had reinforcements as well. Something we failed completely to take into account and paid dearly as a result."

"Talk about a rookie mistake. Fair enough that we didn't expect another magical girl to be roaming around, but to not expect more after that was an oversight. Had we not let our guard down, then maybe we'd have been able to mount some kind of counter offensive," Morgana noted, taking the analysis the two animals had begun further.

"Indeed, we now have a better beat on their abilities. We must, as soon as possible plan in the event that we encounter them again…" Yuuno noted, making a suggestion as to their next possible action, but before he could continue to speak-

"We'll run into her again, won't we?" Nanoha suddenly asked. The two animals turned to the two humans. Both of them had forlorn looks, clearly still devastated by the loss they suffered today.

"We probably will," Ren was the one to answer. "It's clear, given the fact they took one right in front of us, that they're after the Jewel Seeds as well. We find another Jewel Seed, we'll run into them for sure." Realizing he might have been too blunt, he immediately turned to see Nanoha looking downwards. Though he wanted to say something, this time was one of the rare moments where he didn't know what to say. He already a lot to make up for, and didn't want to add to the list so soon.

"Are you afraid to fight them Nanoha-chan?" Yuuno asked in his stead, placing a paw on her lap to try and soothe her. Today was the first time Nanoha had ever experienced such a loss. Ren had already gone through that sort of despair, that kind of regret, so he was used to it. However that would be a lot to absorb for anyone, let alone some as young as her. He wouldn't blame her if she became too scared to continue. However their fears were completely unfounded.

"No, actually. I'm not afraid. It's strange, but for some reason…" Nanoha paused to take Raising Heart in hand, looking deep into the device, she continued. "For some reason I want to see her again. For some reason, I feel sad, and I don't know why or how. I feel that if I see her again, I'll be able to find out why. " After saying as such, she enclosed her fingers around Raising Heart, her eyes, though still affected by today's events, still seemed to look forward into the future. "I have to meet her again." Ren was relieved to hear that, as were Morgana and Yuuno. Nanoha, was still okay even after such a devastating defeat, both physically and mentally. However, though he was still okay, Ren had to make a decision.

"That's great to hear, but I don't know how much help I or Morgana will be the next time we meet them," He finally admitted to them. "It's happened over time, but Nanoha-chan, you've very quickly come into your own. Though you lost, you held your own quite well, and I'm certain that if I wasn't there at the time, you might have been able to win."

"What do you mean, Ren?" Nanoha asked, wondering why Ren was saying this. Didn't they resolve to put this behind them last time?

"Nanoha, there's no sugar coating it. Today I was a liability."

"But-" Ren raised a hand to stop Nanoha from going further.

"Let me finish?" He asked, to which Nanoha could only nod her head. Not willingly though. All Ren could do was give an appreciative smile before continuing. "Alright let me ask you something else then, would you have surrendered had I not been there? If it was the two of them both trying to fight against you, and I wasn't there, would you still have given up?" Nanoha almost immediately wanted to say something… but when she had thought about it, if he weren't there, she wouldn't have stopped. She only stopped, because she didn't want Ren to die. Upon realizing this, she couldn't help but avert her eyes away from him. She felt shameful, knowing that if he hadn't been there she had a chance to win. After she told him that she wanted him by her side during their captures of the Jewel Seeds, she felt genuinely guilty. Just as guilty for having worried everyone, for making them so sad.

"It's okay Miss Nanoha, if the answer isn't one you like. Life's filled with that sort of thing. The what ifs, the maybes, the could have beens, you're not always going to like what you see," Morgana said, trying to console Nanoha of the answer she had arrived at. However, she wasn't going to leave it at that.

"Then a compromise," she declared, having made up her mind. She wouldn't back down on what she believed in. "I still want you to be there with me when I go after the Jewel Seeds, Ren. Honestly I can't imagine doing it without you or Morgana around, but from now on, when it gets dangerous I want you to leave it to me. I want to protect the both of you when the time comes. I still want us to be together." She stuck her hand with only her pinkie extended. "It's thanks to you that I've been able to come this far, thanks to you that I can try again and again, no matter how many times I stumble. You're my hero Ren, and I want to do the same for you. So promise me we'll be together to see this through to the end." The man who protected her again and again, the one who, without even the slightest delay ran towards the danger so that others didn't have to. She looked up to him, she wanted to be like him, to be able to one day stand by him, and not just behind him. She couldn't do that if she had to let him go like that. He had to be around so that she could show him.

"Nanoha…" Ren said, genuinely flabbergasted, by the resolve the young girl showed him. It was the kind of bullheadedness his friends knew him for. Perhaps his foolishness was rubbing off on her. He was also quite embarrassed to hear what she thought of him. He was more anti-hero than hero all things considered.

"She's right, besides though you may not be able to provide extra combat support, you can still play the role as an extra set of eyes, ears, and brains," Yuuno pointed out. "You've kind of become our leader in a sense."

"Ren's a natural leader, just as I've come to expect. We just have to be more careful next time. As long as we're not dead, we're not out of the game. Besides we've been hit by worse in the past remember Ren? And how would we live with ourselves if we just walked away," Morgana said, both encouraging and admonishing him at the same time. Yeah, what the hell was he doing?

"Man, I've really fallen far, to be told off by a kid and two house pets," he joked to himself. Before any of them could voice their displeasure however, without warning, he hooked his pinkie around Nanoha's. "Next time, let's make sure we come out on top," He told her, showing her a smile she'd never seen before. Confident, playful, so cocksure, but for some reason it made her heart skip a beat. She thought, did he always look so dashing, so handsome?

"Um… um… Ren… I… uh…" she stammered unsure of just what it was she was feeling. Before she could form an actual sentence however-

"Okay, Stop stop stop stop stop stop stop. That's as far you'll go today," Kyouya said as he barged back into the room. It was clear that by the way he looked he thought that something else was happening. Following him was the rest of the group at the mansion today as they then began to flood the room, the girls crowding around Nanoha asking what reaction she was having. Kyouya on the other hand was emitting a refined killing intent at the fool. Ren began to regret some of his life decisions at that moment.

 **-0-0-3-0-0-**

The apartment was dark, save for the lights of the city outside and single dim light on the veranda that served as a second floor. It was fairly empty, lacking anything indicating the personality of the one living there. It had nothing but the very basics. There on a simple unadorned couch, sat the young blonde girl named Fate as she stroked the head of an orange wolf that looked worryingly at her. They had been like this for some time, simply sitting there in the dark, just the two of them.

"Thank you for coming today, Arf," Fate said to the wolf. "I probably would have been able to win on my own, but thanks to you, we were able to obtain Jewel Seed 14 without any issue." She let the silence permeate the room again, as she continued to stroke Arf's head. "That girl probably has more Jewel Seeds, doesn't she… we're probably going to run into her again then. We're going to have to fight again as well…"

"Woof," Arf went, though it was nothing but a wolfs bark to all but Fate.

"You're right, we're lucky the young man wasn't a mage. His gun was fake too on closer inspection. I suppose it's nice to have someone like that. Though he was foolish to try fighting a mage without a device or spells, he was a brave fool, kind of like a knight in shining armor. Thanks for letting him go …" Indeed, she was sincerely impressed by his display. He acted like a hero from old fairy tales with his valor and courage. It honestly hurt a bit to see him struggle under Arf's foot, fighting despite the odds.

"Woof!" Arf went again, seemingly pleased by the praise.

"But if he shows up again, don't hesitate to fight back. In some ways he might be more dangerous than the girl. I don't want you getting hurt if it can be helped…" It wasn't like he lacked skill either. She was genuinely surprised when he grabbed her scythe like that and putting her into that bargaining scenario. For a moment, she truly was unsure of how to handle the situation. Had Arf not interfered, she might have had to resort to more drastic measures. Not only that, he played her for a fool using a basic knife and a fake gun. He completely, with nothing but bluster, put her on edge and evened the playing field. She shuddered to think what might have happened if he was a full on mage, even a weak one. Regardless he wasn't going to be a threat now that they knew he was nothing but tricks. Like that she looked up at the photo of her and her mother that sat under the lone light that was lit in the apartment. "We'll be home soon, mom."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

But that's his secret Fate, he's always tricks, and now for kids too. Anyways I'm cutting this chapter short here. Originally it was not only going to have a different name, be much longer as well, and end on a cliff hanger, but given how this followed the progression curve of emotions quite well (You know how a story has to escalate and deescalate at certain points to best capture audience attention), I felt that making it longer would have ruined that, as well as be unnecessary bloat. Too many events happening in one chapter and being un-cohesive as a result. Instead I decided to flesh out certain scenes and add some better fluff to more parts so as to at least have a decent word length for the chapter despite the lack of development. I suppose that's what happens when you're writing a chapter that's finishing something from the previous one.

Next chapter I plan to write will contain pretty much everything I had to cut that I planned for this chapter as well as other things to add on top of that. Based on what I'm outlining, it should be of decent length. Perhaps my standards are too high because to me, sub 6k words pre-editing was in my eyes, too small, but I had to struggle with the fact that what I wrote still went well pacing-wise. In the end, I decided pacing and proper partitioning of events made up for length, and will just post what I got. If that's not the case, the reviews will tell me otherwise, so wins all around in that regard. Of course then I sometimes find fics with large numbers of chapters but barely having 50k+ words and I'm just sitting here wondering what the hell I'm doing.

Anyways aside from that, in the original Nanoha anime, this was the first time Nanoha not only met Fate, but also lost to her. Like any good second act, many of the middle episodes for that season focused on Nanoha getting beaten or out done by Fate, only to the turn it around as the third act began. This is where most of the changes from the Persona side of things will start to seep in. How though? I'll show it off next time. Character-wise, It's finally shown that Ren can be a major liability in battles thanks to him being a quickly depreciating battle asset. Sure Nanoha would still lose the next couple of battles regardless, but he doesn't know that. All he knows is that Nanoha is talented, and that she lost because of him. That would hurt, but I also wanted him to be resolved to be better, but to also display Nanoha's bull headedness in this regard and her unwillingness to compromise in her beliefs, even if they come at the end of a magically charged laser attack.

As Always though, thanks for reading. If you have any complaints or things you'd like to point out, let me know in a review. Have questions? Remember I said they'll get their Personas at some point. Comments? Appreciated as it makes the reviews interesting and ups the numbers. Concerns? Thank you, but you don't have to.

Anyways, Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed what you read, and have a great day.

PS. Now I know why Amamiya bothers me as a name. It make think of Mama Mia, which while a good ABBA song was a terrible movie. Akira Kurusu was honestly much cooler sounding name.


	4. Chapter 4: What Do You Wish For?

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: What Do You Wish For?**

His eyes snapped open with a start. A quick glance told him that it was morning… or more so noon based on what his clock told him. Looking around further he found that Morgana wasn't there. Forcing himself up, he quickly did his morning routine, despite the time, and then sat back down on his bed. Grabbing his phone, he went to check his messages. To his surprise, he apparently had one, but from whom? A quick glance through told him, and his mood lifted just a bit. He quickly opened it.

"Hey, Ren, it's me Chihaya," It started. It was pretty long winded, going for a while. "So, I got a little curious and decided to try and read your fortune. Thought it would be fun to see what you'd be up to, and if you'd break any other girls' heart." Even with no one around, he was tempted to let out a bit of nervous laughter at that one. "But if it was just that then I probably wouldn't be sending this. You probably won't read this until the morning, so I'll just get it all out right now." Indeed, it was around 2 am when she sent this whole thing. "So anyways when I read your fortune, it was something like the one I read for you back in December. You're not doing anything dangerous right? I mean that stuff should be over." It was true, it was over, but still he'd somehow found himself caught up in another dangerous thing despite himself. "Well if it helps, the fortune I read for you seemed to point to some kind of person, but the card I drew was the reverse Empress. Maybe the one you're dealing with this time is some kind of bad mother or something. Another thing, something good should happen to you in the meantime, it's supposed to help you from what I got from the reading. I'm not sure what will happen, but it should help you in dealing with the situation. Anyways, if you're ever come down in Tokyo, come and see me, even if just to say hi. Later!" And like that the message finished. A bad matriarch, but the people he was mainly dealing with were… little girls.

"Hey Ren, you up? It's not good to over sleep!" Somethings never changed. Though he wondered what one of the so called little girls was doing right now.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

Nanoha sat quietly as her two friends began to talk about something. Today her family and friends had come to a hot spring as a means of relaxing. She and her friends Alisa, and Suzuka had just gotten out of the bath and were having drinks while they were at it, sitting in one of the many lounges scattered about the inn they were staying at. She wanted Ren to come with them, but Kyouya was against it, something about it being inappropriate and not trusting him. She didn't understand. Honestly at this point she felt that out of all the people she knew, Ren was the most trustworthy, and she couldn't think of what he meant by inappropriate. However, right now she very quickly became glad he hadn't come along.

"So just who is this Ren anyhow?" Suzuka was the first to broach the subject.

"Pffft!" Nanoha accidently spat some of the tea she'd been having, coughing wildly afterwards as she tried to catch her breath. "Wha-what are you talking about?" Luckily Yuuno was currently with the other guys, or else this would have been even more embarrassing.

"Well it seems like the two of you are becoming quite close, for one thing. I don't think you're that close to any of the boys at our school, so it's surprising to see you act so friendly to a guy, especially one in High-school. He might be a pedo… or are you hoping for that sort of thing?" Alisa asked her.

"Huh? It's-it's not like that! And what's a pedo?" Nanoha was getting quite flustered thanks to her friends. Sure, she didn't get close to the boys that much. She'd always thought they weren't really all that interesting, and honestly a bit too childish sometimes. Ren was different. He was dependable, easy to get along with, mature, patient, brave and…

"Ah, Nanoha, you're blushing. Are you thinking about him?" Suzuka pointed out, specifically using her hand to point to Nanoha's blisteringly red ears. "Oh? Are they turning redder?"

"So, you do like him!" Alisa declared. "Suzuka-chan what should we do?"

"Well… while he is older, there are shows that depict that sort of thing going well. Besides Nanoha-chan seems to really like him. As friends it is our duty to bring the two of them together," Suzuka declared.

"That's right! Don't worry Nanoha-chan. We'll help you out, so that in no time he'll like you back as well," Alisa followed as the two of them visibly became resolved. "And I think I have an idea as to how we can do that!"

"Wha-what do you mean? I don't need any help! I-I d-don't li-" She tried to get the words out but the just twisted into a horribly mangled mess when it tried to leave her mouth, as if they were tripping on the way out.

"Here!" Alisa said, as she pulled her phone out and displayed to them what was apparently a website. "Apparently these guys are called The Phantom Thieves of Heart!"

"The who?" Nanoha asked, her flustering dying down as her curiosity rose instead.

"Oh, I've heard of them! The dashing band of rouges who stole the hearts of others, turning them from bad to good. They were really popular a while back, but for some reason they died down and haven't really been heard from since. How could they help us out now though?" Suzuka asked, as she perused the site displayed on Alisa's phone.

"Simple! Apparently, they take requests on this site, so maybe if we ask them they might steal Ren-san's heart and give to Nanoha-chan! That way Nanoha-chan's love could come true!" Alisa declared, her plan laid out before them. "And at worst we'll just have to do it on our own anyways."

"But I don't want them to steal his heart!" Nanoha cried in frustration at her two friends' antics.

"I understand Nanoha-chan, you want to be the one to take his heart yourself, but your age might be too big of a disadvantage. A person like him might have many girls after him. If there's a possibility of this working, then we should give this a shot," Suzuka tried to console her, to no avail.

"I'm telling you it's not like that! I mean I like Ren-kun, but I don't know if-"

"And sent!" Alisa quickly said aloud as she sent the message to the site.

"EHHHHH!?" Nanoha let out as she tried to lunge for the phone. "Noooooo!" Alisa quickly jumped out of the way, dancing about as Nanoha, with all her futile effort, tried to stop a message already immortalized on the internet.

"Wonderful, Alisa-chan! Now we just have to wait, and Ren will be all yours Nanoha-chan!" Suzuka said, satisfied with the result, the opposite to Nanoha's mild despair. "By the way, what do you think these phantom thieves are like?" The question stopped Nanoha and Alisa in their tracks as the two stopped to stare at Suzuka, before also falling into contemplation.

"Well, they're thieves, right? Maybe they're like the cool Phantom thieves in anime? I mean why would they call themselves that if they weren't just as cool? Oh, maybe they're at their secret base right now, planning their next heist!" Alisa postulated. "They're probably moved by my post and want to move as quickly as possible to help Nanoha-chan!"

"I imagine they'd be these cool, dashing figures, absolutely handsome and beautiful in all their ways of life. Meeting them in person would have to be simply breathtaking," Suzuka mused. "I wonder if it would be possible to actually meet one of them."

"I'd like it if they were anything like Ren…" Nanoha murmured. To her the coolest person she knew was Ren, so it was the first thing she thought of when it came to cool. Though honestly, she couldn't see it, given how nice he was. He wouldn't ever be into thievery, even if it was for a good reason… right?

"Oh please, I mean, he's not bad, and I agree kind of cool, but he's not on the same level as superheroes," Alisa rebuked. "Compared to us, The Phantom Thieves must be doing something amazing right now! In fact, I wonder what they're doing right now…"

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

"Ren," The text started from Makoto. "You have some serious explaining to do." Ren got nervous as he began to read it, slurping on his cup noodles all the while. He had no idea why he was getting messaged like this, but if it was Makoto of all people starting it, then it couldn't be good.

"Yeah, Ren. What's with this request on the site?" Ann asked. This only left him more confused. Request? What could it be, and how would it get him in trouble like this. The Phansite? They got requests all the time, even now. What's so special about a request now? He'd like to ask that, but with Ann coming in… something told him to be extra cautious.

"What request?" He texted, not sure how to proceed otherwise.

"It was just posted," Futaba began to explain. "'My friend Nanoha has a crush on this guy called Ren Amamiya. At this rate she has no chance, and I can't bear to see her heartbroken. I want you to steal his heart and give to Nanoha so that their love can be fulfilled.' Ren, when did you become a pedo?" Ren could feel the malice and scorn now, if he couldn't feel it before.

"I have no idea what it is or who sent it," He tried to defend himself. "Guys, back me up here!"

"Sorry buddy, you're on your own here…" Ryuji replied.

"I'm busy with a piece, can't talk," was all Yusuke texted.

"Ren, I hope it won't take too long for you to explain, and I also hope we haven't to ask too much." Haru's text sent a shiver down his spine… Shit, what should he do now. He didn't know who sent it, why, when, or anything at all. Quick, there had to be something he could say. "Well, we're waiting, Ren," Haru sent. Shit… Shit… Shit… Shit… SHIT!

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

Nanoha had finally managed to get away from her friends who had continued to pester her about her supposed crush on Ren, making it into one of the inn's many hallways, this one open with a view of the garden. The two of them kept going on and on, trying to give her advice on how to appeal to him. I mean some of it sounded nice, like trying to listen to him more, learning about his favorite food, asking more about him, learning when his Birthday was, and maybe getting him something in appreciation. She wondered if he liked sweets. Maybe she could make cookies, with Mama's help. When she realized what she was thinking she violently shook her head of those thoughts, heat emanating from her all the while.

"Nanoha-chan!" She heard all of a sudden, turning around she saw Yuuno running up to her. "One of them's here!" Who's here? It didn't take long for Nanoha to deduce what he meant however. It was either Fate or Arf. The two that their group had met sometime before.

"Who exactly?" She asked to be sure. It was for only a moment, but she realized she was nervous. This was the second time they'd have to deal with this without Ren, the first time being the tree incident.

"The wolf girl, Arf!" Yuuno clarified as soon as he climbed up to shoulder. Nanoha tensed up. She was the one who hurt Ren and Morgana. But even so, if she was here, then Fate probably wasn't too far away either. Ren wasn't here though. Though they promised to fight together, they couldn't do so thanks to the circumstances at hand. They couldn't beat them last time, even with all 4 of them together, now with half their fighting strength gone, this was going to be even tougher. "She's in human form, so be on the lookout and-"

"Oh? Talking about me?" Nanoha quickly whipped her head behind her to find that same woman from before standing there, only instead of her battle attire, it was instead a yukata that was supplied by the inn. Nanoha, unintentional took a step back after realizing it was her. "Oh, nothing to be frightened about little girl. I'm here on pleasure so you can relax."

"Where's Fate-chan?" Nanoha asked, looking about herself to make sure she wouldn't get surrounded.

"She's not here. I'm on my own today," Arf told them, giving them a sly look. "Hmm…" She suddenly began to look the two of them over for a bit. Nanoha felt as if she was being sized up by a beast or something.

"Wh-what is it?" Nanoha asked, trying to maintain a strong front.

"You really aren't anything special. Well too bad." Arf then just walked past the two of them nonchalantly, not really acknowledging them as she passed by.

"What do you mean?" Nanoha didn't know what to say to that, but she nonetheless felt insulted.

"Just go home before you hurt yourself." The cocky look Arf gave her was all she needed. She didn't stick around long enough to see Nanoha's reaction as she blithely began to walk to the hot spring. After turning the corner, and making sure they weren't following her, she began to relax as she entered hot spring proper. After washing herself, she slowly dipped herself into the water. "Fate, I went ahead and checked up on our little friend," she telepathically told her master as she let the atmosphere of the bath break the tension away.

"Oh?" Fate responded, herself sitting a couple of miles away on a tree with Bardiche in hand.

"Yup, no match for you as far as I can tell, not that I need to tell you that given your previous performance, but I thought you should know," Arf continued. Though the other boy and cat weren't in site, they didn't need a second glance, unlike the girl who was the real threat of the two as far as she was concerned.

"I see…" Fate felt a bit… she was unsure how to describe. Nonetheless she had a job to do. "I've made some progress on my end. I've just about located the next Jewel Seed in the area. We'll move tonight to capture it."

"Nice one, Fate! As expected of my master!" Arf preened, so proud of the one she served.

"We'll meet up tonight, be ready by then." And like that, Fate cut off the communication and went back to pinpointing just where exactly the seed was.

"Of course." Arf was going to ready herself in the only way she wanted to right now, with a nice dip in the hot spring. With a sigh, she stretched her arms to help situate herself back into the water, letting out a nice sigh as she did so. "Oh! Oops." She accidently let her dog ears show there.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

She heard Farin close the door that separated the kids from the adults. Most likely she closed it so that she, Suzuka, and Alisa could get some sleep for the night. However, while the two of them were indeed fast asleep, Nanoha was wide awake, as was Yuuno.

"Nanoha," Yuuno began telepathically as he tried to pry himself from Alisa's grasp. The girl had decided to basically man handle him all day at any given opportunity. She'd really come to like the ferret, though that might be her general love her animals showing through. "I did some digging and just as I suspected, she wasn't here for no reason. There's a Jewel Seed nearby." He ran over to Nanoha's side so that the two would have full view of one another as they conversed.

"I thought so too," Nanoha replied as she quietly began to rise from her futon. "And if she's here then Fate-chan is here as well." Though she felt a bit vindicated to have her suspicions proven correct, she felt a bit pained.

"Are you thinking about how we won't be able to go with them?" Them referring obviously to the older boy and cat. "Nanoha-chan, if you're not confident then you don't have to go. I-"

"Yuuno-kun, stop or I'm going to get angry," Nanoha said in a low voice. Yuuno did as he was told, practically freezing at hearing Nanoha say as such. "I'm not letting you go alone," she said as she leaned over and pet him. "I know that we're not all here, but I'd like think that Ren wouldn't let us not go simply because he isn't here. I know we promised, but I'm sure he can make an exception for this one time. He'd want us to stop them if he could tell us. We have to see this through to the end."

"Nanoha-chan…" Yuuno kept forgetting how stubborn she was. He admonished himself for his lapse in memory, especially since it was the umpteenth time it had happened. He really should have known better than to try and go it alone when he knew she was so stubborn. But that didn't mean they could forget caution. "We still have to be careful though. I'll back you up however I can." Nanoha nodded in affirmation. Quietly, the two made their exit out the veranda connected to their room.

"Where to?" Nanoha asked as she looked out into the forest next to the inn.

"That way." With but a nod, Nanoha transformed as silently as she could, and then flew in the direction Yuuno pointed to. It was time to meet Fate once more.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

"That's the second one…" Fate let out as she finished sealing the Jewel Seed. She and Arf were standing atop a little bridge that sat on top of a small pond where the seed was hidden. Before they could get their bearings however-

"Oh my! I guess my little fib wasn't enough then," Arf, amusement clear in her voice, let out as she noticed their guests fly right in. From the sky, Nanoha and Yuuno landed nearby, too late to the scene to take the seed.

"What are you going to do with that Jewel Seed?" Yuuno asked, frustrated that they couldn't get there in time. "They're dangerous artifacts, not some simple gem!"

"Who knows? I don't see any reason to tell you." Arf gave a blasé response, practically writing them off as she did so. "Though I suppose I should give you a worse beating than last time. Maybe then you'll stay out of our way!" As soon as she finished saying as such, she jumped into a ready stance in front of them, then suddenly began to change. Fur began to grow wildly on her body, covering up every bit of skin. Her hands and feet unnaturally bent and morphed into wolf paws, sharp claws jutting out as it changed. Her hair lengthened until the end seemed to become a tail of sorts that wild and beautiful. Finally, her face then gave way without warning, transforming into a wolf's maw that seemed to bite at them from afar. In the end, Arf had completely transformed into a ferocious wolf. As if meant for it, Arf then let out a howl that echoed loud and far under the moonlit night.

"I knew it! She is a familiar…" Yuuno declared, his theory proven correct as he trained his eye ever so cautiously about to make sure of no other surprises.

"A familiar?" Nanoha asked, unfamiliar with the term.

"A magical being born of a mage's power," Yuuno began to explain.

"That's right!" Arf interrupted him suddenly, throwing him off as their attention returned to the ones in front of them. "In exchange for being given life, I fight to protect her with my entire being." Fate drew closer to them, right next to where Arf had landed earlier, before scanning the two of them.

"So he isn't here…"

"Huh?" Nanoha wasn't sure she heard him right, but was she wondering where Ren was? "What do you want with Ren?"

"It doesn't matter…" was the only thing she said.

"Fate, you go on ahead. I'll hold them here," Arf said before, in a single instant, pouncing upon them.

"I won't let you!" Yuuno cried as he hopped off from Nanoha's shoulder and projected a magical barrier. Arf collided with it, but stayed on, gnawing and clawing while seemingly glued to Yuuno's barrier.

"And what do you think you can do?" Arf taunted as she clawed at the barrier again.

"Yuuno-kun!" She noticed cracks beginning to form in the barrier. It was holding but not for much longer.

"Nanoha, you get Fate, I've got this one!" He'd had enough of letting others do the work for him.

"What?" Arf let out as she noticed something was amiss.

"Let's go!" Yuuno let out before firing the magic he had prepared. Several magic circles appeared, the mana coalescing where the two of them were as his magic was about to go off.

"Teleportation!?" Arf let out just as she realized what was going on after looking at the magic circles that were projected. Before she could jump off though, the two of them were caught then caught in the spell. The both of them were then taken by a beam of light that seemed to fly off into nowhere, leaving nothing behind. Only Nanoha and Fate remained at that spot.

"Barrier magic and teleportation… You have a good familiar," Fate said, genuinely impressed, though she hid her worry for her own familiar underneath. She hoped they didn't go too far.

"Yuuno isn't a familiar. He's my friend," Nanoha responded, readying herself. She couldn't afford to worry about Yuuno right now. She trusted him about as much as she trusted Ren for this. She just had to believe in him and return Yuuno's resolve ten-fold. Fate seemed for a moment surprised by the declaration, of which Nanoha noticed, but it only lasted a moment before she continued.

"So, what will you do?" Fate asked, curious as to where Nanoha's determination would lead her. She couldn't help but shudder just a little looking back at the brunette's eyes that didn't waver.

"Is there any way we can just talk this out?" Nanoha asked, hoping that perhaps they could avoid fighting. It wasn't that she was afraid to lose. It's just that… looking at Fate again, she confirmed what she thought she saw last time. Fate's eyes just looked too sad. Why did she look like that? Why was she doing this? Why, when looking at her, did Nanoha feel something similar to when Ren felt sad? She wanted to know.

"I have to gather the Jewel Seeds. If you're going to get in my way, then that makes us enemies," Fate answered.

"Then that's why we have to talk it over, so we don't have to fight!" Nanoha didn't want to fight. She still didn't understand why they had to fight. Fate seemed to react to her words, her sincerity, but the blonde magical girl swallowed it down.

"Nothing will change just with words…" she solemnly remarked. "It won't mean anything!" Nanoha's eyes widened as Fate suddenly disappeared from view. Trying to keep track of Fate, she turned around to find her opponent in her blind spot, ducking as Fate swung Bardiche at her.

" _Flier Fin."_ Nanoha took to the sky to avoid the second swing. Fate, without missing a beat, flew up after her.

"Even so-"

"Let's make bet," Fate interrupted. "One Jewel Seed for the winner."

" _Photon Lancer, get set."_ Nanoha heard Bardiche, even with the wind flying past. Her heart sank when she realized that she wasn't getting through to Fate. However, that lapse in attention allowed Fate to speed up. Turning around, Nanoha found Fate high in the sky above her, covered in shadow. A magic circle formed beneath Fate, lighting her up in the darkness, as she held her hand out to gather magic in another circle in front of her. _"Thunder Smasher!"_ Bardiche declared as a yellow beam of magic spewed forth at Nanoha. Without a word, Nanoha steeled herself as she pointed Raising Heart at the attack.

 _"Divine Buster."_ A pink beam flew from the tip of Raising Heart, clawing its way through the air until it finally collided with Fate's own attack. The two beams clashed at the center, neither gaining ground as they lit up the night sky.

"Raising Heart, Please!" Nanoha pleaded. She couldn't afford to lose.

" _Alright"_ As ordered, Raising Heart increased the output of the attack, letting loose a second charge of energy that coursed through the original attack, bolstering it. Fate's face lit up in surprise as her own attack was basically pierced through. But Fate was prepared. Once Nanoha's attack completely devoured Fate's, a giant burst of pink light exploded forth where Fate was. Nanoha's attack dissipated, her mana had become drained from the attack she did just then. Looking around she realized she couldn't find Fate anywhere. Looking frantically-

" _Scythe Slash,"_ was all Nanoha heard before she saw Fate in free fall above her. She froze up as Fate closed in, Bardiche in scythe form. She couldn't help but gasp in fear and close her eyes as the last thing she saw was Fate swinging Bardiche right at her neck.

For a moment all was still as Nanoha slowly opened her eyes, curious as to why she hadn't felt the impact of the attack. Upon opening her eyes, she saw Fate floating in front of her, Bardiche's energy blade stopped right before making contact with her neck. She then realized that even without touching it, her neck still could feel the heat coming off of the Scythe as it threatened to cut her. It's this hot without even touching it? How could Ren take full contact with it without screaming in pain, she thought. Before she could do anything further however-

" _Pull out!"_ Raising Heart said, Nanoha not recognizing the command, but she didn't need to as she saw Raising Heart present a Jewel Seed to Fate. The seed began to float right above Raising Heart, glowing in the darkness of the night.

"Raising Heart… what are you-" Nanoha wondered before being cut off.

"It seems it's worried about its master," Fate postulated. Without another word, the Jewel Seed then flew into Fate's hand. Fate then proceeded to land back on the ground. Nanoha was still in too much disbelief to even react or fight back. "Arf," she sent telepathically. "Let's go."

"As expected of my master!" Arf said as she appeared next to Fate suddenly. Nanoha shook herself of her stupor and landed back on the ground as well.

"Nanoha-chan!" Nanoha looked to see Yuuno run up to her, climbing up to his usual shoulder. After confirming he was alright, Nanoha looked back at Fate who had already begun to leave.

"Wait!" Nanoha began. To her surprise Fate did stop in her tracks, only for her expression to dip once more as Fate spoke.

"If possible, don't appear before us again. That goes for the other two as well." Nanoha didn't need explanation to know that she was talking about Ren. "If we meet again, I won't stop my blade." Nanoha was at a loss at what to say, but realized that though she knew Fate's name, she didn't know if Fate knew hers.

"I-I'm…" but before she could finish introducing herself, Fate and Arf flew off into the forest, Arf sticking her tongue out at them playfully as she disappeared into the foliage. The only ones left where the two of them, Nanoha and Yuuno. The night returned to silence, the only sound that could be heard if one listened close enough was the sound of Nanoha's hands as their grip tightened around Raising Heart.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

He recognized the room he was in. The grey dull walls, simplistic table he was sitting at, solitary chair sitting at the opposite end, only a single door that led either in or out, and that camera in the corner of the room was also still there, though he doubted anyone was watching him. Why was he here? Last thing he remembered was going to bed after what was a fairly lazy day, save for that one thing. So was this a dream? He wanted to get up, and find out what was going on, get out of the room, but some kind of force compelled him to stay seated. He felt that someone was supposed to be sitting there, and that they weren't there yet. Was it Sae? No, that felt wrong. He felt that that seat was supposed to be filled with someone else, someone more familiar.

Suddenly, he could hear footsteps from outside the door. They started out faint, but slowly grew louder and louder. His heart quickened as the steps became clearer and clearer. Was this who he was waiting for? He felt like he knew who it was, but for some reason, though it was on the tip of his tongue, he still couldn't name who it was. While thinking such, the person knocked on the door.

"It's open," he felt compelled to say. As soon as he said as such, the door opened and-

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

Ren woke up with a jolt as he reached for his phone which suddenly began to ring out with message after message. Quickly grabbing his phone, he wondered if it was the girls again, even after he had tried to explain that he had no idea who sent that request, and that it was just a misunderstanding. He checked to see that Morgana was still asleep despite the loud ringing. At least he wasn't awake to put him through the wringer this time. He was a bit relieved, upon turning his phone on, to see that it wasn't them, he still narrowed his eyes as he saw that he was instead getting messages from Nanoha… at four in the morning? He unlocked his phone and swiftly made way to his messaging app, still half asleep as he did so.

"Ren, It's me Yuuno. I'm using Nanoha's phone to contact you, since you're too far away to reach telepathically." His eyes sprang open as he read the message apparently sent by Yuuno. "A Jewel Seed appeared nearby and Fate along with it. She had already sealed it by the time we got there. We tried to stop them, but Fate outplayed Nanoha, forcing Raising Heart to give up a Jewel Seed to save her."

"Are you two alright?" Was the first thing he texted back. He couldn't help but worry the worst given how badly they ended up last time.

"We're not hurt, at least physically. I think Nanoha-chan is taking it pretty hard." He heaved a sigh of relief. At least they were okay, but yeah. A second loss would be mentally devastating. Though that was quickly replaced with frustration that he couldn't be there to help. "Nanoha has been keeping to herself since we lost the Jewel Seeds. Would you mind meeting with us in the afternoon after school? I think she'd need it."

"Yeah, no problem." The least he could do would be to meet her to discuss what happened in person.

"Thanks, and sorry for waking you so early. Good night." And like that, Yuuno was offline. He sighed, both in exhaustion and frustration. He didn't blame Nanoha for going without him. This was literally just a bad luck of the draw and couldn't have been helped. However, that still didn't help to assuage him of his guilt for not being there. He couldn't let this go on any longer. He had to do more…

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

School had passed in the blink of an eye, rushing out as fast as he could, he then made way for the park that they had agreed to meet at. Well more like Yuuno agreed to meet with them, and promised to drag Nanoha with him. It would be a tough one, but he believed Yuuno could bring Nanoha out to at least talk. He decided to take a city path that led straight from his school to the park. It would be the fastest way there.

"Talk about bad timing, huh?" Morgana asked, finally broaching the subject. "Just as we were not only trying to take a break from all this Jewel Seed stuff, but one just happened to show up where she was without us able to go there. I don't think I've felt this helpless since… well… "

"Saying there was nothing we could do feels like excuses, even if it is the truth…" Ren pointed out for the both of them. On this the two were in agreement. No matter how they thought of it, each time left a sour taste in their mouths.

"I'm not going to deny that. I know there are still plenty of Jewel seeds out there, but it still stings to lose twice in a row. We didn't have to deal with any rival thieves when we were still in the business. So this all new to us as well," Morgana pointed out. "Hmm?" the cat let out as he noticed a limousine drive up next to him. "Isn't that…"

"Hey, Amamiya-san!" Ren's attention panned to his side as he also looked at the limousine to find two girls he recognized, waving to him trying to get his attention. "It's us! Arisa and Suzuka!"

"Wonder what they want?" Morgana asked, Ren thinking the same thing.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

The three of them sat in a nearby café to chat really quickly. The two of them told Ren about how Nanoha has just been completely out of it all day, not responding when being spoken to, just looking completely downcast during class, it seems Nanoha was really taking the loss hard, and maybe something else too.

"It's just infuriating! I know Nanoha-chan means well, but that doesn't mean she's supposed to keep secrets like that! If something is wrong, even if I can't help, I just want to be there with her, both of us do!" Alisa explained, her frustration clear right from the get go thanks to her feisty attitude.

"Nanoha-chan was always the kind of person to keep things to herself so as not to trouble others, but that just leads to everyone worrying about her even more. It hurts to see her like this…" Suzuka added.

"I mean, I understand. It's a good thing to worry about your friend like that if she's being secretive and everything, but why are telling me all this?" He asked. It was useful info to go on, to at least help to illustrate her despondency as well as the depths of the issue. However, that didn't explain why they went out of their way, on their way to prior engagement, stop to talk to him about it.

"Because Nanoha-chan thinks a lot about you. When we talk about you, she goes on about how you're trustworthy, dependable, reliable, and so on. Honestly it's all she says you are when we ask." It was quite embarrassing to be described as such. Alisa continued, "She doesn't even say that about her actual older brother. If there's anyone who could help her, it's probably you." And that was the explanation he was waiting for.

"If all we can do is tell the person she trusts most to help her, then that's what we'll do. It's all we can do…" Suzuka mused. Ren couldn't help but let a smile slip onto his face.

"You two really care about Nanoha-chan, huh?" He asked genuinely moved by their solidarity. It was like the bond he shared with his confidants; his friends.

"We've come a long way since that time Nanoha-chan and Alisa-chan fought that first time," Suzuka followed. "Alisa took my headband and wouldn't listen when I asked her to give it back."

"Oi, you don't have to tell him abou-"

"But then suddenly Nanoha-chan came in and hit Alisa." Though Alisa was about to say something again, Suzuka turned to her asking, "What was it that she said then?" Alisa's face returned from being one of indignation back to being solemn.

"She said, 'It hurts right? But having something precious taken from you hurts more…' I still remember it pretty clearly." Her voice was wistful as she recalled that moment. "Then the two of us got into an even worse fight. In the end, the one who stopped us was the quiet girl just standing there…" Alisa gave a knowing smile to Suzuka, who started to get embarrassed at her own escapades within the tale.

"Well, I was desperate," was Suzuka's only reply as she sheepishly looked down. "Then after that, we started talk little by little."

"And before we knew it, we were all friends." Alisa and Suzuka gave each other nods of affirmation as their tale ended. They then looked back at Ren, who had become engrossed in their story.

"Please help Nanoha-chan. You're probably the only one who can," Suzuka pleaded once more.

"Well, I was on my way to do just that. Nanoha-chan wanted to talk so I was going to meet her in the park."

"Eh… that's great, but you better not be thinking of doing anything bad to her. She likes you, you know? You better take care of her!" Alisa pointed out… It was at that moment Ren knew... she was probably the one who sent that message. Letting that go-

"Right… anyways, don't worry. I'll see what I can do," he told them as he got up to pay.

"Oh, don't worry, we'll handle the check." Suzuka pulled out a black credit card, handing it to her butler who was standing just by the way side. He forgot they were rich… damn he needed a part-time job. "And please be honest with Nanoha-chan." Ren wanted to cry on the inside from having these accusations thrown at him, but he kept it in check for the sake of the situation.

"Nothing you can do about it now…" Morgana whispered, not wanting to be discovered by the two girls for fear of the conversation derailing into him getting manhandled again, given how much the two girls loved animals.

"Well, if that's the case, then I'm heading off then. Bye!" The two also said their goodbyes to him as he made his way out of the café. He then took his phone out and began to text Nanoha.

"Met with a distraction so I might be a bit late. Are you still there?" he texted to Nanoha's phone.

"We're still here." Seems it was Yuuno who responded. Putting his phone away, he began to make headway towards the park once more. He had to see this through for not only Nanoha's sake but for her friends and family as well.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

It didn't take that much longer for him to finally reach the spot they agreed to meet at. The sun was in the middle of setting over the horizon. Sitting on the bench, Nanoha, sat there, still in her school uniform with a little baggie in her hands. Ren hadn't seen Nanoha since the day before she left with her family and friends to go to the hot springs. To him Nanoha looked tired, not necessarily physically, but mentally exhausted. She simply wore this solemn look on her face. As he approached, she saw him walking towards her and she waved at him, a happy smile perching itself on her visage when she realized it was him. Yuuno also gave him a wave from Nanoha's shoulder. He waved back as he continued to approach.

"You want some?" She held out the bag as soon as he reached the bench. Poking a couple fingers inside the bag and taking a little peek, he saw that it was filled with freshly made taiyaki. "It's not cookies, but they're still good." He wasn't sure what she meant by cookies, but he was glad to accept all the same.

"I hope you have enough in there for everyone," he said as he took one, only to give it Morgana who popped out of his bag, plopping it right into the cat's mouth.

"Thanks!" The taiyaki muffled his mouth as he began to bite into it, trying to hold it in his thumbless paws.

"Of course. Here," Nanoha said to him, with a bit of amusement as she reached inside the bag to hand him a piece. "Now don't feed this one to Morgana. He might get fat!" She said as a joke.

"Hey, I exercise daily and control my diet!" Though he was quick to respond it was more so that he wanted to play along to help lift the mood.

"Oh, what do you do as a house pet?" Yuuno asked earnestly.

"I always take a daily walk and only eat when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm- Hey that's not the point of today's meeting. Lady Nanoha, are you alright?" Morgana finally brought to everyone's attention the reason they were meeting today.

"Hmm… I'm fine," she said simply. Though she tried to smile through it, this time it was clear that an effort was being made to hide something. "Well, okay. Maybe I'm not fine."

"Nanoha-chan, is this about the loss we suffered the other day?" Yuuno wanted to clarify. Ren took the empty seat next to Nanoha, placing his bag down as Morgana continued to peek at them from within.

"It kind of is…" Nanoha trailed.

"So, then what exactly is it if it isn't the loss?" Ren asked, taking note of Nanoha's vague words.

"Ren, do you mind if ask you something?" Nanoha's question came so suddenly that it almost caught him off guard. Though he was quick to answer.

"Sure." It was all he could do in the moment. Answering her question was the least he could do.

"Do you think its meaningless to want to talk to people that want to hurt you?" Nanoha's question surprised Ren. That wasn't exactly what he had expected. Though his expression widened for a moment, he reigned it back in to answer her.

"That's a tough one," he began, shifting his focus to his hands. "A lot of problems in this world could probably be solved if people could just sit down and talk to one another. But more often than not, words just aren't enough. Sometimes fighting and fighting back is the only way forward." He'd be a hypocrite to say violence didn't solve problems. It solved most of his but talking did also. Listening to the people he met in Tokyo, hearing their stories, learning about them. That happened with words. Comically it also led to violence in most cases, but in the end it all began thanks to wanting to just simply talk. "There are still somethings talking can do that fighting can't. Sometimes all it takes is just sitting down and just letting it all out, your true feelings, without filters." Nanoha let out a sigh of relief at his answer.

"Thank goodness. I was worried that maybe I was the only one who thought that." It seemed that Nanoha already had her answer, but still wanted Ren's input. He was beginning to see the validity in Alisa and Suzuka's statement that she valued him. Shaking his head of those thoughts, he went ahead and asked a question that arose thanks to Nanoha's odd response.

"I'm guessing then it's something else that's bothering you. Something to do with Fate perhaps?" He asked. It was probably something Fate said to her that was the cause. Nanoha was a strong girl, he learned in his short time with her. She could take loss, she could take pain, could take a lot, but strangely she had a weakness when it came to other people. When other people were hurt, or in pain, that was when she hurt the most, he learned. Her face became alight in surprise when he specified fate, but then fell back into a nervous smile.

"Was it that obvious?" She asked, as she rubbed the back of her head while giggling just a bit in embarrassment.

"Well that, and I ran into your friends Alisa-chan and Suzuka-chan on the way over. They sort of told that you've been worried about something all day," he admitted to her in a teasing manner.

"Mou… those two…" Though it was clear Nanoha was embarrassed again, she was taking it in stride.

"They were really worried about you Lady Nanoha," Morgana added. "You have really good friends you know?".

"The best," Nanoha affirmed, smiling warmly as she thought of them. "Ever since our first year at school. Did they also tell you how we met?" Ren gave a silent nod, to which Nanoha let out a resigned sigh. "That's not nice you know. According to Miyuki-neesan, a girl has to keep her secrets." She began to hit him lightly again, just like the other night.

"And a gentleman can keep a secret." Ren grabbed one of Nanoha's hands right before it hit him in the chest. When Nanoha looked up at him, she saw his warm smile, the smile of her hero. She blushed profusely, a deer in headlights was most apt to describe her. Then suddenly, she pulled her hand back, and began to rub it.

"Promise?" She asked as she nervously averted her eyes away from his. Ren couldn't help but be amused.

"Of course," he said as he began to pat her on the head. She let him pet her for a couple of seconds, his hand warm, big, and gentle, before finally just swatting his hand away, giving him a raspberry in response. Though that was more to hide her embarrassment, not that she hid it very well with her face still flushed crimson. She then shook her head, ridding her visage of her prior shyness, before looking at him resolutely, her eyes straight into his.

"Can you promise me something else too?"

"If it's within my power, sure." He made sure to meet her gaze, respecting whatever resolve she seemed to muster to look at him so bravely.

"When we see Fate-chan next time, can you let me talk to her? There's something I want to tell her. As well as something I want to ask her." Her eyes didn't falter for even a moment as she asked him her selfish request, a request that could possibly risk another Jewel Seed. However, he didn't hesitate to give her his answer.

"Do whatever you need to do." Nanoha's face lit up from hearing her request granted.

"Thank you so much!" She told him as she took him into embrace, practically rubbing her face into his stomach with glee. As she did so, he noticed Yuuno and Morgana, who stayed silent for the most part looking upon them. Morgana had the most teasing expression, while Yuuno's was warmer and kind. For Ren, things got quite awkward. He let out a cough that managed to catch Nanoha's attention.

"Shall we get started looking for a Jewel Seed today?" He asked, hoping to change the subject for today.

"Yeah!" And like that the four of them took off into the city.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

"I think it's time for me to go home." Nanoha looked nervously at her phone, the time reading about 7:02 pm.

"That's okay Nanoha-chan. The rest of us can continue to search," Yuuno told her, hoping off her shoulder and jumping right onto his.

"We'll message you if anything comes up. You should get home before anyone gets worried… what's wrong?" Ren noticed that she was still looking at her phone. Was she expecting a message?

"No, it's nothing," she said as she put her phone away. "I'll be going then. Let me know if you find anything."

"We will, Lady Nanoha," Morgana said as they waved each other goodbye. Soon the little brunette ran off home as the three of them then went the opposite direction.

"I'm getting a signal from somewhere in the middle of the city, but I can't pinpoint exactly where. Try going down this path." Yuuno pointed towards an alley to his right. With only a nod, Ren began to walk down the path.

"Kind of reminds you of going to Shujin, huh? Kind of weird that the fastest path there was through the alleys," Morgana reminisced.

"Shujin?" Yuuno tilted his head as he asked.

"Ren here used to go to school in Tokyo, a place called Shujin Academy," Morgana began to explain.

"Doesn't Shujin mean prison in your language?" Yuuno for a moment thought that that was what Morgana had said.

"That's what I thought," Ren added as the light of the main street began to dim.

"That reminds me, Nanoha and I don't really know much about the two of you. For example your ability to speak Morgana, or that how curiously only mages and Ren can understand you." Yuuno finally remembered that he and Nanoha had meant to ask the two of them about their background. It wasn't that they didn't trust Ren and Morgana, but it helps to know about who you're working with.

"It's a long story, perhaps it would best to wait until we had everyone around before we talked about it," Morgana said. He was cautious about sharing details, given just what those details were. Though he doubted Nanoha and Yuuno would do them harm with that information. Ren was also of the same mind, but thought it would best if the rest of the thieves were around for their say on the matter.

"I suppose that would be for the be-" Just as Yuuno was about to finish his sentence, a massive flood of power coursed through the area. Looking up, a beam of orange energy was firing right into the sky.

"Is that-"

"No, it's not a Jewel Seed, this signature is Fate-chan and Arf's. I think they might be trying to force activate a seed nearby. Quick that way." Ren followed Yuuno's directions and ran towards where he was pointing. Though that quickly became unnecessary as a blue beam of light shot into the sky shortly after he started running. "Nanoha-chan, do you see that?" Yuuno asked over a shared telepathic network.

"Yeah, I'm on my way!" she answered immediately. It wasn't long after that the three of them exited the alleyway to find the Jewel seed in an abandoned clearing, still firing its light into the sky. Yuuno then jumped off his shoulder and began to activate a barrier spell, the light of his magical circles brightening the dark area. The world greyed at the activation of the spell, becoming silent as it spread out into the city. Soon all was still save for the orange light in the distance, a pink one in the opposite direction, and themselves where Yuuno's magic circle still shone.

"That should do it," Yuuno told them as Ren and Morgana each maintained vigil, trying to stay on the lookout in case Fate and Arf closed in. "Nanoha, nothing seems to have made a wish on the Seed, you can do a sealing from a distance!"

"Got it!" Right after her response, Ren could see two lights in the distance building up. From where he guessed Nanoha was, a pink line was beginning to shine. From the same roof top as the orange light, a yellow one made itself known.

"Damn, are they both trying to seal it at the same time?" Ren asked. "What'll happen if their sealing spells collide?"

"They should just neutralize each other at worst. Hopefully though, Nanoha's will hit first. If not, then Nanoha might have to move in to engage before trying again." Then that meant all they could do was wait and hope. As if right on cue, he could see a pink beam and yellow beam travel simultaneously at the seed at a rapid pace. Unfortunately, the two sealing spells collided right at the seed, and as the Yuuno had said, the two simply canceled each other out, dying. Once the two spells had finally died down, Nanoha flew next to the rest of them.

"Is everyone alright?" Nanoha asked, but before anyone could answer-

"Out of the way!" From the roof top, Arf, in wolf form, lunged at them from above, looking to take them down. Without a word, Yuuno jumped to intercept, creating a green barrier that stopped Arf in her tracks, but obscuring their vision. Remembering last time, Arf quickly jumped off, skidding across the ground once she landed. Yuuno then dispelled the barrier to conserve energy. Upon doing so, the four of them saw Fate standing on a nearby lamp post.

All was still once more as the two girls stared at one another. Ren quietly took stock of the situation. There was even distance between both groups and the Jewel Seed. If that was the case, then the most likely scenario, would be a slug fest between them. Thinking on it, Nanoha would probably engage Fate in the air, and the rest of them would deal with Arf.

"Ren, do you remember our promise?" Ren was taken out of his thoughts and looked a Nanoha. Looking at her, he could barely recognize the girl in front him. The girl who stood there wasn't some scared little girl, completely out of her depth anymore. The person who stood there was one filled with courage. He could tell looking into her eyes, this was the moment she was waiting for, the one she steeled herself for. He could only nod to acquiesce to her desire. "Thank you," was all she said before turning back to Fate. She took a single step forward.

"Nanoha-chan, be careful," Yuuno said telepathically.

"I know, it's just… I want to know… I have to know… Why does she look so lonely?" She told them as she then stood firm before the other magical girl.

"Don't hold back then, you're feelings, or your desires." That was all Ren told her as he looked to see Yuuno readying himself to confront Arf. Nanoha let slip a small smile hearing Ren's words of encouragement, before looking stern once more.

"Last time I couldn't finish my introduction," she began. "My name is Nanoha Takamichi, third year at Seishou Elementary School."

" _Scythe Form"_ Bardiche all of a sudden said as Fate's scythe lit up. Though surprised, Nanoha didn't back down.

" _Flier Fin"_ Raising Heart projected its own spell in response, placing little pink wings on Nanoha's feet that took her to the sky as Fate dashed forward to strike. Soon the two of them were dancing in the air, firing their magic at one another that lit the sky in pink and yellow hues. The two of them had somehow become evenly matched, Ren noted. However, Fate still had the upper hand in speed.

"Nanoha!" Ren tried to warn as he saw Fate fly behind her.

 _"Flash Move."_ Raising though, proved such a warning was unnecessary as suddenly Nanoha moved so fast that Ren, and not even Fate, could follow her, until she had reappeared behind Fate. Nanoha then fired right at Fate's blind spot, but the blonde quickly projected a shield, stopping the attack in the process. The blowback however still pushed Fate a fair distance away, though she quickly reoriented herself and pointed Bardiche back at Nanoha, who in turn still had Raising Heart trained on her.

"Ren-kun, keep an eye on the Jewel Seed, I'll handle Fate's Familiar!" Before Ren could respond, Yuuno already ran towards where Arf was, firing his own, but much weaker spells at her. "Over here!" Yuuno began to run away from the battlefield while constantly whittling away at Arf.

"You little- Get back here!" Arf took the bait luckily, leaving Ren and Morgana alone. It seems they weren't deemed a threat. All they could do now was watch and make sure the seed didn't go out of control… or was that he could do?

"Fate-chan!" Ren heard Nanoha from above. Fate was surprised. Why was this girl still trying to talk to her, she wondered. "You said that talking – that just words won't solve anything, but… But I believe there are some things you can't convey unless you put them into words! Maybe we do have to fight, maybe that's how it has to be, but... I don't want to fight without knowing anything!" Nanoha took a moment to pause. It was working, she was listening! She couldn't stop here, not while she still had a chance to know. "I'm gathering the Jewel seeds, because Yuuno asked me to. He was the one who found them, and he wants to return them to where they belong. That's why I'm helping him. But even though it was only by chance that he and I met, and by coincidence that I ran in to Ren and Morgana, I'm now doing this by my own choice." Fate was still listening, only a little more. "I don't want the city I live in, or the people around me to be in danger! That's why I'm fighting!" She did it! She finally said what her heart wanted to convey!

"I…" Fate, stunned, solemnly began to speak. Her once cold, stern expression broke away, instead replaced by a rather regretful one. However, before she could continue.

"Fate! You don't have to tell her anything!" Arf yelled from below still having a standoff with Yuuno; in the distance for Ren and Morgana. "There's no reason to explain yourself to a bunch of spoiled brats who live surrounded by people who are always kind to them, always understand them! They don't know a damn thing about us! They don't know the first thing about your pain! Our priority is the capture of the Jewel Seeds!" Nanoha's heart sank as she saw Fate's face return to the one she had before. The solemnness from before completely vanished, as if it were but a lie. All her hard work, dashed away just like that. She quickly recovered however. She couldn't give up. She was almost there. She just had to try one more time, no matter what Arf said, she had to get through to Fate.

However there was one other person there who heard what Arf said. When he heard those words, his blood began to boil. His hands balled into fists so tightly. He almost wanted to laugh if he weren't so pissed off. Kindness? The fuck did that damn bitch know. At this point, whether justified or not, he was completely done caring. He didn't care if something was wrong with Fate's life or Arf's, if something was truly out of their control, if they were in circumstances that he would normally have wanted to help them out of with all of his heart. Their arrogance at believing they were the only ones who knew pain, the only ones who knew what it was like to be alone, to be suffering; that was the last, fucking, straw. And so he ran. He ran after the Jewel Seed. He was powerless, he couldn't do anything to help fight. He was useless, but he could still carry himself and take the jewel just like a thief would.

"Ren!" Morgana was the first to shout as he saw the young man he knew so well run faster than he'd ever run before. However he couldn't bring himself to run after the boy, because he knew exactly why Ren ran as hard as he could. Unfortunately, this alerted the others to his actions.

"Fate stop him!" Arf shouted as she too noticed Ren running towards the seed. Without a sound, Fate turned around, acknowledging the event before flying down to stop him. Nanoha, still shocked to see Ren's rash action took a moment to register what was happening before she too flew down to stop Fate from hurting him.

"Ren don't!" Yuuno also called, trying to reach him telepathically. "You can't touch the seed!"

"I can't let her have it! I can't just stand around and do nothing!" Ren cut him off, shouting out loud rather than returning through the mental link. His vision tunneled as he practically barreled through the open space in the city. "Almost! Almost!" He shouted as he closed in step by step, reaching his hand out as he did so.

"Enough," was all Fate said as she appeared above him, her scythe at the ready slice him in two.

"No! Ren!" Nanoha wasn't going to make it in time to stop her. He was going to get hurt again. It would be her fault again. He might… he might be ki- Her eyes instinctually closed as Fate swung Bardiche down, intending to stop him before he could reach it. Despite the tunnel vision however, Ren deftly ducked and then seemed to glide over the ground, sliding under the swing, the blade just grazing the very top of his hair as the blade arced through the air with an audible buzz. Fate, completely off balance from the frantic swing, could only watch as he continued on. As soon as he had completely passed under it, he immediately jumped back to his feet, then made a second leap towards the seed before finally grasping it, then sliding like a baseball player.

The only thing the others could do was watch as he came to a complete stop, the sound of his body grinding against the floor was the only thing echoing through the air. They looked on as all was still for a moment, each wary to move in fear of something worse occurring. But just as they realized nothing was happening, Ren slowly got up, in his hand a faint blue glow could be seen as he finally stood back up.

"I got it!" He told them as he opened his palm to look at the jewel in hand, it glowing a bright blue that felt familiar in a way. He quickly turned his attention back to the others however. For a moment he could have sworn Fate and Arf were trying to go after him, so why did they stop. They looked frozen in place, as if cautious about something, but what?

"Ren!" He heard Nanoha scream from above, the worry in her voice pouring out without limit. What was she worried about? What were all of them doing? He then looked back at the jewel seed only…

"Huh?" Was all he could let out as he only just saw what the rest of them had seen. His had was now on fire, and it was not just any fire. It was an azure flame that was slowly beginning to consume him. However with each passing moment the speed with which the flame consumed him speed up until almost near instantly, once it reached his shoulder, the rest of the fire simply engulfed him in its entirety.

"REEEEEEEEEN! NOOOOOOOOO!" Nanoha shouted as she saw her friend, her hero, consumed in that mysterious blue fire. No, this couldn't be happening. Not to Ren! Not to him!, Thoughts like that raced through her mind as she could do naught but bear witness to her friend burning away. Fate and Arf could only let out a solemn, though vigilant, expression. From the looks of it, the boy was gone, consumed by the Lost Logia that was the Jewel Seed. Yuuno shook himself from his own stupor, and began to run over to Nanoha, to try and bring her back from the clear despair that the girl was going through. Only one person there looked on calmly, and in fact, with excitement. Morgana hoped that what he saw was real. Without warning however, the fire, instead of beginning to die like everyone thought would happen, it instead began to pulse, and grow.

"Fate, look out!" Arf warned, to which the others heeded as the Fire began to lash out, as if it were holding whips. From there, the fire, which seemed only like a simple wild flame, began to focus, coalescing itself smaller and smaller before finally it exploded upward. The fire was shot upward like out of a cannon, flying higher and higher until it reached above the clouds.

"Yuuno-kun, what's going on?" Nanoha asked, the strangeness of the situation, ultimately knocking her out of her sadness, though not completely. "What's happening to Ren?"

"I don't know! I thought that the Jewel Seed had rejected him or something of the sort, but it's more like it's actually granting his wish!" Yuuno speculated, also completely unsure of what to make of the situation.

"His wish?" Nanoha wondered. Did Ren have a wish? She couldn't imagine what he would wish for. He always seemed like he knew what he wanted, he looked so in control of everything in his life. What wish could he have?

"I don't know what it is, but it's a powerful one. We have to be prepared for anything!" Yuuno warned as the fire continued to roar, the pillar of fire simply coating the world in blue as it assaulted the sky. Then, a loud… something sounded out from above, like that of broken glass. It sounded as if something was being summoned in some primordial manner. As if it was asserting itself into reality, like it ripped its way into being regardless of anything in its way. It was as if it rebelled against the notion of non-existence "Something's coming!"

"Arf, get ready." Fate commanded off in the distance as the two saw it descend. A massive being broke through the sky as it made itself known. It's size was easily as tall as the skyscrapers around it, maybe even bigger. Whatever it was, it was still covered in that blue flame, connected to where Ren stood when the Jewel Seed wrapped him in that azure blaze. What descended upon them was something vaguely shaped like a holy angel, though exact features were difficult to discern behind the fire that surrounded whatever had been summoned. Despite the flame obscuring its figure there were somethings that could still be discerned. Aside from its mostly humanoid figure, most easy to see, were the six massive wings on its back that seemed almost bigger than the figure they were attached to. The limbs hung at the side, but one of them held what looked to be some kind of weapon, though what kind was too difficult tell thanks to the flames, but its size certainly matched the rest of the body. Even still, at the tips of its feet, it was still connected to where Ren was standing, whips of flame still twirling around, and the vague sounds of loose chains resounding in the air.

"Nanoha…" Yuuno whispered, fearful of what he was seeing. He'd never seen any monster like this in his life. This came from Ren? This power that simply coursed through the world as if ruler of all, came from that kind, yet brave young man? This devilish power? Yuuno couldn't even begin to imagine what his wish was. How could he wish for something like this? Did the Jewel Seed do this? "We have to stop this before it breaks out of the barrier. Even just hovering there, it's existence is straining the barrier." Indeed, he could feel the power of the massive creature grinding against his magic, and not only that but winning with what seemed to be just existing. Before they could act though, a yellow beam of light shot forth from afar, aimed straight at the creature.

"Huh!?" Nanoha let out as she saw events that happened in a mere fraction of a second. The beam seemed to fly straight and true, only for a quick gleam of blue to surround the being. The attack then seemed to bounce off an invisible barrier and flew right back at Fate.

"Kyyaaaa!" Fate cried as she was struck by her own magic.

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha screamed as she saw Fate try to recover from her own attack.

"How dare you!" She could only turn around just in time to watch Arf attempt to bite at the massive monstrosity, only for a red gleam to shine this time. Just like with Fate, "Argh!" It was as if the two's attacks were reflected right back at them, and at full power. How could they fight this if they couldn't even hurt it?

"What?" Nanoha then noticed the creature finally move. It raised the weapon it held in hand, raising it high into the sky. It was then she finally realized what weapon it was, right before it fired. It was a gun, and her suspicions rang true when the weapon let loose a thunderous sound that seemed to scream right through reality, the force of the wind reaching even her right at ground level, threatening to lift her if it weren't for Raising Heart and her Barrier Jacket. She made sure to catch Yuuno, who didn't have such benefits. Then that's when they saw it, they all saw it, Fate, Arf, Nanoha, and Yuuno. They saw the rain of death, a riot of power descending from the sky, falling like stars. Nanoha, for the first time in her life, was truly seeing death.

 **-0-0-4-0-0-**

It was just like the dream he had the other day. Same room, same table, same chairs, same everything. It was the same room as that day when he was taken in by the police, the day he had to play his greatest trick. But who sat in front of him wasn't the same. It wasn't Sae, and it wasn't Akechi. No, the person that sat there on the other side of the table was… himself?

"What a pathetic farce. Getting all worked up over a bunch of brats," his other started. He was dressed in the Shujin Academy uniform, while he himself was wearing… that old prison uniform he just realized. The other him sat there, calm collected, his hands closed, resting on his crossed legs. "Now don't take this the wrong way. Genuinely speaking, even I'm angry. I would have made an outburst too, but don't you think it was a little childish to act like that?" There wasn't anything to refute. He basically he flew off the handle and acted recklessly, ignoring Yuuno's warning. "And now here we are. The fruits of your stupidity. Your mind trapped in here because you couldn't take being looked down on again."

"Pretty much," he agreed.

"Glad to see we're on the same page. However, the question remains: What are you going to do about all of this?" The other him asked. "Do you regret what you did? Want to take back being so stupid and reckless? Look out there." His other self pointed to the side. Over where he pointed to was a TV which showed Nanoha and the others being bombarded by Riot Gun, one of his strongest attacks. Each shot leaving destruction and devastation in its wake. Each bullet gouged the world, leaving their mark of oblivion upon it without remorse. Though they'd been lucky so far to have dodged the attack, they couldn't keep it up forever. The TV then shut off as his other self continued. "It's because of you that things have gotten out of control. Your recklessness now might get everyone killed, and it will be all your fault. So what are you going to do now? You going to just give up? I know you want to. You want to quit. You want to stop this. There's a part of you that want's to give up. So what's it going to be?"

"…"

"What was that?" His other self goaded. "I don't think I heard you."

"I said, even if you're right, that doesn't mean we should quit," he said louder so that the other him could hear it.

"Oh? So, are you saying it wasn't wrong to intervene? That it was the right choice to step in, to get in her way?" His other self bombarded.

"It wasn't wrong. It wasn't wrong for us to stop him from harassing that woman, and it wasn't wrong for us to step in to help Nanoha. Ask me again, and I'll do it again. Maybe I'd do things a little differently, maybe I'd try and solve it another way, but I'd still try. I'll accept what you're saying, because it's the truth, but it's also true that this is just who I am. I'm someone who can't stand aside and just let things happen. I can't stand idly by and watch people suffer because of monsters like Shido or those made from Jewel Seeds." Ren found that he was standing, his breath ragged from speaking.

"Even if the one you have to fight is another girl as young as Nanoha?" He asked. "One who may not be a monster like the others? Even if you might destroy more than you save?"

"I don't want to fight or destroy like that, but if I have to, then so be it. Not like I haven't beaten up on little girls before anyhow or done things the public approved anyways. Besides, those two were way more brutal about it," he mused, remembering his wardens. "But you already knew about all of that didn't you…Arsène." As soon as he named him, the other him sat there, surprised by the name if only for a moment as he soon then gave a raucous laughter. Loud and bold, It's laugh echoed throughout the empty space, filling it all as if no other sound could intrude upon his mirth. It kept going until finally he'd calmed down, relaxed and satisfied. When his other self opened his eyes again, the pupils were a beautiful gold.

"Still a fool to the end. Very good. I see that my power has not been wasted." And like that his other self became consumed in a blue flame until he couldn't see the body anymore. The azure fire grew larger, rising little by little into the air as time passed. Then all of a sudden, the flame dispersed, and there floating with grace and dignity was his first Persona, Arsène. "The time when thou can ravage to your hearts content has come! And I am not the only one who eagerly awaits his cue!" Arsène then gestured to behind him like a show man. Though still shrouded in darkness, he could just make out who it was that was emerging from the shadows. It seemed as if all of the personas he had ever summoned stood there, ready for his command, their eyes eager to be ordered to do anything he desired. "Even now, we still heed your resolve. When thou are ready beckon us! Call us, so that thou can perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!" All Ren could do, was give to them a solid nod of acknowledgement. "The time hath arrived, though you're late for the show! Go! Your curtain call won't wait forever! Let them witness our Justice! Give them a Show of a life time!" Then Arsène laughed once more, filling the air with his mirth until it completely drowned all else.

And while he laughed, the world filled to the brim with azure as they all became consumed by flame. The brightness of it all blinded him, causing him to raise his hands to shield his eyes from the light. The fire continued to roar, seemingly consuming all of the Personas that had gathered before him, until finally, it began to die, and the world became a little more quiet. Little by little the flame creeped ever smaller and smaller, until finally it was but a small spit of fire he could hold in his hand. Then, as it floated just above his now outstretched palms, the flames finally died and in its place was but a mask that he remembered oh so well. Taking it in hand, he closed his eyes, placed it gently upon his head. Then the world bled a light that was colored velvet blue.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Well I'm sure that was long time coming for a lot of you who had been asking, but you see, like a good bread, you have to let it bake and rise before you enjoy it. And that can take a while. Speaking of which I'm going to make a PP&J sandwich after this with milk. Any who, yeah This was the other part of Chapter 3 I was going to have but decided to cut because too much was happening to make a consistent curve. Though I guess you could argue so much happened in here that the same thing happened anyways.

Next chapter will actually be the battle where Personas have to make up for lost time. Expect to see more of the Persona side showing up from now on. I'll also have more deviations from the original show from here on out as well, or at least plan to. That also means I can't rely on the show for easy dialogue as much anymore… and I feel sad about that, because having the show made it so much easier to write. But Oh well, easier in that I don't have to follow some of the pacing that a 13 episode anime has which can be downright uber quick.

I don't have as much to say about this one, save for the fact that I hope I'm portraying the characters right and such, but I suppose that's for the reviews to decide.

As usual, if you feel like I did something wrong, leave a review and tell me so I can improve later. Always welcome constructive criticism. It's always helpful.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed what you read. Have a nice day ladies and gentlemen, and hopefully I'll see you next time.


	5. Chapter 5: Winged Emancipation

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Winged Emancipation**

Nanoha didn't know how long she'd been trying to dodge the attack the monster that consumed Ren had made. It felt like an eternity, her desperately flying between each bullet, every one of them the size of her or greater, as they fell to destroy her or whatever else was there. The land had become almost unrecognizable, becoming a ruin that further degraded as each attack landed. Each one kicking up concrete, dust, glass, and metal flying every which way leaving almost no place untouched.

"Nanoha, to the left!" Yuuno commanded from within her arms as she dove in the direction he specified. A quick glance behind her displayed to her a hail of gun fire rain down upon where she just was. This was beyond anything she'd fought before. The scale and power weren't anything like the previous Jewel Seeds. This attack which had been going on for who knows how long didn't allow for even a single bit of retaliation. She couldn't find even the smallest opening to return fire. And even if she could, she remembered how Fate's attack had bounced right back at her, nearly knocking the other magical girl out. Not only could she not return fire, she probably had nothing in her arsenal she could use to even effectively damage that monster.

Fate and Arf weren't doing much better. Though the two were more experienced than Nanoha, even they were having trouble dancing between the attacks as they fell from the sky. Coupled with the damage they had received, both physically and mentally, from having their attacks bounced right back, their stamina couldn't realistically hold out for much longer. But even so, Fate kept pushing. She couldn't lose. She had a mission, had someone who she needed to make proud. She wouldn't allow herself to lose.

"Uragh!" she cried as she found a small gap in between; an infinitesimally small opening that she could use thanks to her speed.

" _Scythe Form_ ". Bardiche lit up as she flew, the fastest she ever had. She flew higher and higher until the monster's head filled her sight. As she closed in she was able to make out the down turned horns on the side of the monster's head, even through the azure inferno that surrounded it and obscured its features. She paid it no heed as she closed in, weaving in between each attack that fell until finally she swung. At that moment, the monster stopped its attack and, though she couldn't see its face, let alone its eyes, she swore that it looked right at her. She continued her attack, straight and true to finish the monster and retrieve the seed, only to be met with that same red gleam. A sharp, high pitched sound, like that of glass shattering pierced her ears as she felt the weight of her own strike slam right back into her, knocking her away.

"Fate!" Arf rushed, jumping as high as she could from building to building in order to catch her free falling master. The two met in the air, with Arf catching Fate with her mouth by the scruff of the girl's cape. Using Magic, Arf descended back on to the ground as slowly as she could afford, given the situation. "Fate! Fate!" She cried, trying to rouse her master as she cast a healing spell in order to prevent the worst from happening. It didn't take long for Fate to open her eyes.

"I'm alright Arf. Focus on the Jewel Seed." Fate pushed through her healing wounds, using Bardiche as a crutch to stand. Her stance straightened as she recovered, though her eyes began to doubt. This thing was simply a monster. She couldn't damage it, she couldn't defend against it, there wasn't anything she could do to fight it. But even so, she needed to-

She had no chance to finish that thought, as it was promptly interrupted as soon as she realized the monster still had its gaze trained upon her. But most disturbingly was that it began to move its weapon. Without any delay, she found herself and Arf the targets at the end of that massive, skyscraper size rifle. Though she expected to see something similar to the attack it displayed just earlier, her eyes widened when instead she saw darkness gather at the end of the barrel. Not just shadows, but curses and absolute blackness. Not a single speck of light could be seen in that coagulating mass of heinous magic. Both she and Arf had frozen in place, unable to move due to a welling sense of fear. Though their wounds had for the most part healed, with that attack aimed right at them, and so large, they couldn't block it, nor would they be able to evade it in time. It seemed that was to be their end, only-

"Fate-chan!" They heard as Nanoha flew into the line of fire, projecting her all into a magic shield, its pink light shimmering in the darkness of what threatened to soon engulf them all.

"What are you doing? You'll die too!" Fate couldn't understand it. Why was she here? She could have gotten away, left them to die, and she would have been fine. Why risk her life for people who were just moments before trying to kill her. Fate couldn't understand why she had come to try and save them.

"Just trust me!" Nanoha told them as she turned to look at the monster that Ren's wish had made. It didn't take long for Nanoha to make a conclusion as to what this monster was. It was probable the manifestation of Ren's wish to help. She knew that he was bothered leaving it all to her. She knew that he hurt every time he got in the way, that he desperately wanted to do more. She had hoped that if she worked harder for his sake, she could alleviate it, to let him know that he was doing enough, and that she was capable. But perhaps her hard work only served to worsen his wounds. If that was the case then she had to do something. This was her fault for not seeing this sooner. The monster before her was what she believed to be a testament to that failure. She had to save her hero.

"Ren! I know you're still in there! Please! Listen to me! I-" Though she wanted to continue, she realized something. The monster had stopped charging its attack. "Huh?" She didn't know what to make of what was going on. One moment the monster seemed to be readying itself to destroy the, but now it was as still and unmoving as it was at the start. Was she getting through? Before she could start again, the whips of fire at the base of the monster where Ren had stood shot up, stretching far and flying upwards. In the midst of their ascension, the fire finally broke to reveal chains whose movement could be heard as they reached higher and higher until they rose above the monster. As soon as they reached their dizzying height which threatened to pierce the clouds, they bent in direction, flying towards the monster. Every which way, they began to wrap themselves around the angelic being wreathed in fire. The monster didn't even seem to exert any effort as they soon completely shackled it.

Then almost just as fast as they rose, they began to constrict, dragging the monster into the ground, as if sealing it back from whence it came. It shrunk as it was dragged lower and lower until finally it had been returned to the human sized fire from where it started. They all watched in awe as what remained of the blue fire completely absorbed what it had let loose just moment before. After returning to its original size, the blaze continued to burn but began to fade. Little by little the fire disappeared into the ether, quieting down from its deafening roar, until finally, it revealed the young man they thought had been consumed. There in the middle stood Ren, none the worse for wear.

"Ren!" Nanoha cried in relief, tears falling from her eyes as she cast away her shield and began to fly frantically towards him with Yuuno in tow who, recognizing her intentions, moved to her shoulder. She flew towards him, her arms outstretched to embrace him, however she stopped herself when she finally noticed it. When was he wearing a mask? "Ren?" On his face was a simple bird mask that was colored black and white, and only covering the place around his eyes and nose. He was still wearing the clothes he had on before, but the mask wasn't anything she recognized. He also still had his eyes closed. Before she could move in for a closer look, she saw Fate and Arf rush past, weapons at the ready to strike at him, seeing this as their opportunity to strike before that monster returned.

" _Scythe Form!_ " The two flew in order to capitalize on the moment. This was their only chance. Or so they had thought. The two found themselves frozen once more when suddenly, Ren opened his eyes and gazed at the two of them. They found themselves cowed underneath his gaze. It felt the same as the one given to them by that monster.

"What? Scared?" Ren taunted, a cocky smile plastered on his face.

"Pretty much. I mean after that display anyone would be. But did you really have to show off that much?" Morgana walked right up from behind, not even the least bit anxious and having avoided all attacks up until that point. All of them were confused as to why the cat was so calm. Ren was still in possession of a Jewel Seed, he could go off again at any moment, and next time, they might not survive. What did this cat know that they didn't?

"Well I'll admit, I kind of did overdo it there. It's embarrassing to admit, but I wasn't exactly in full control," Ren explained, completely calm and unperturbed, much to the worry of all other save for Morgana. "Honestly, it was a bit overkill having that one out."

"Are you alright now?" Morgana asked, though he felt that he already knew the answer. A simple nod was all that was returned, but that was all Morgana needed. "Then why don't you show them just who exactly they're messing with, Joker!"

"Gladly!" And like that Joker turned back to face the rest of them. In his view he could see Fate and Arf, as well as Nanoha and Yuuno looking at him. He had a full audience. They all flinched as he moved his arm up to his mask. Fate and Arf readying themselves, cautious from before, with Nanoha and Yuuno watching on, hoping that things would be alright; to make sure that he was still okay. What happened next they couldn't have predicted.

A sickening squelching noise emanated from beneath his mask, as if it were directly attached to the skin of his face as he began to remove the mask from his face; his eyes currently closed. He was practically peeling the mask off his face, turning their stomachs as they not only saw but heard it rip the skin beneath it. They saw blood begin to drip right underneath the eyes as if tears. And then, without a cry of pain, without even a hint of hesitation, he swiftly ripped the rest of the mask off, the blood flying and splattering across the ground, painting it a crimson red. When he turned back to look at him, his face was completely bloodied around where the mask had laid. And then as he opened their eyes, they saw two golden orbs staring at them all, and manic glee painted itself upon his lips.

That was when they then saw the azure fire rise again, blowing the blood away as the fire flared upwards. Only this time it slowly consumed him from the head downwards. Unlike the raging wild fire from before, this time the blaze hugged his body as it made its way down, the inferno shaping itself around him. Then a crimson face appeared at the head, its grin twisted and mad, looking upon them like toys to be played with. And then, then fire began to rise, keeping its human shape as it left Ren's body behind. Their eyes widened as his clothes revealed to have changed like they did. He was now wearing what looked to be a stylish black ensemble of a black, high necked trench coat with a tailcoat that flowed like a cape, double buttoned waistcoat, black pants, and dark winkle-picker shoes. Starkly contrasting the whole outfit were a pair of bright crimson gloves. Though their eyes soon trained above him as the fire continued to maintain its humanoid shape until finally the blaze evaporated to reveal what was beneath.

The being who emerged was vaguely humanoid being who wore a similarly stylish set of clothes. Its heels bladed and it fingers clawed, what stood out most to those who saw it were the black winds that seemed almost like a cape, the tall top hat that certainly suited a gentleman and the red horns that seemed attached to plate that served as a face, oh which the features were that same glowing crimson color. In the midst of it all, chains flew around, between both the creature and Ren. With a flourish of his arms, Ren emitted a powerful force that dispelled what remained of the flames once and for all. Leaving only him and the creature. That same force was almost as strong as the attack from before, threatening to blow them all away if they gave even a bit of ground.

"I am Arsene," the creature began. "The Pillager of Twilight. I am thou, thou art I… The time has come once again for thou to release thy rage! Though thou be chained to Hell itself, show them, thine own Justice!" And then it faded away from view, but the power they felt hadn't waned in the slightest. A mask then reformed upon his face, same as the one he had before.

"Welcome back Joker," Morgana said, breaking the tension as he walked right up next to him. Joker only gave his cocky smirk in response, though that was all Morgana needed to see. Joker then turned back to Fate and Arf surveying the two of them, before turning to Nanoha.

"I'll take the baton from here, Princess," he casually remarked, giving her a smile that she recognized despite the strange change in attitude he was showing. Though when she thought about it she remembered him acting like this before. Before she could respond, he was already slowly walking up to Fate and Arf. "Shall we dance?" He gave a showman's bow, his arm stretched and flared, playing it up for every bit of ham it was worth. It felt so good to be back, he thought. His ears perked as he heard the Fate move her staff into firing position.

"Give the Jewel Seed up," she told him. While she was confused in regards to his strange actions and change in demeanor, she still had a job to do. If she could reason with him, then that was easier than dealing with the monster. "If you don't, I'll be forced to take it from you with magic." Like that, Bardiche lit up, Fate preparing to fire a Thunder Smasher right at him. And then suddenly he was gone, along with- "Bardiche!" she cried as she realized her device was no longer in her hands.

"My, oh my," She heard from behind her, the vague sound of something twirling in the air accompanying the voice. "Didn't anyone teach you to respect your elders, Goldilocks?" She whipped her head behind her to see the man deftly twirling Bardiche around in one hand, standing on a lamp post between her and Nanoha. As if a master, he then began to swing it about, switching it from hand to hand as it kept spinning like a baton at a show. He spun around as he did so, and even putting it behind, above and even sometimes below him. Then with a final toss into the air, he grabbed it and pointed Bardiche back at her, holding it like a gentleman's cane, his other hand in his pocket. "If not, then allow me to teach you some manners." He flashed his cocky grin. Fate's eyes narrowed at her device being swung about like some prop. "Woah! You can have this back." Joker threw Bardiche back as it started to spark up, not that the electricity would have hurt, but he had to put on a show. Fate promptly retrieved Bardiche, commanding it to return to her. Once in hand, she gripped it tightly. She wouldn't let it be taken a second time.

"You don't seem like the best person to learn manners from. Besides, what could we learn from a petty thief?" Arf kept his eyes on him, despite his playing around, he got behind the two of them as they were staring right at him. He could have attacked them right then and there, but instead chose to show off. He was faster than Fate somehow, and if what he was wearing was a Barrier Jacket, then he might know magic too.

"That hurts! I'm not some _petty_ thief." He said, playing up his mock pain, as he seemed to suddenly appear on ground level behind them. They quickly whipped around again. Enough was enough.

"Won't hurt as much as this will!" Arf was the first to strike. Now was the time, while he was close and vulnerable, or so he had appeared. She lunged, baring her lupine teeth as she moved to gnaw on him. As soon as she was in range, she bit as hard as she could. Though she expected flesh, instead she was met with the sound and taste of metal. Looking down she saw that he had not only moved from his original spot, but had also put some kind of weapon between him and her.

"Now that wasn't nice. Have you had all your shots?" For a moment his mask flashed blue, then as if by magic, he seemed to effortlessly lift Arf, still biting on his weapon. He then, somehow put enough force into his swing to then not only loosen her grip on his weapon but throw her a few good feet into the air and into the side of a building. A small crater forming in the wall where Arf was knocked into it. "Awooo…" she let out as her consciousness began to fade. With his weapon free, Fate was able to see it in full. In his had he held what looked to be a massive knife that could easily classify as short sword. Completely monochrome in color, its handle was decorated with what looked to be a vile and twisting aesthetic, as if pulled from old paintings of the mad. "Like it?" Joker asked her, noticing her staring. "It's not a device, but it does have a name: Paradise Lost." Like he did with her device, he twirled it around, though not as dramatically, until it ended up in an underhand position. Though it appeared to be a Mass Weapon, a non-magic weapon, it still looked incredibly sharp, and something about it seemed, demonic. She just had to be careful.

"Bardiche!" She called as she readied herself.

" _Yes sir! Scythe Form!"_ Just as she expected, as soon as Bardiche finished projecting its blade, Joker had disappeared.

"Not going to work!" She said as she swung herself around to slash behind her. Though instead of hitting her target, she found herself slashing at air. Her actual target, had somehow jumped on top of Bardiche, riding along her horizontal swing. As her swing nearly completed, he jumped up, spinning around in mid-air like a gymnast before landing gracefully on the ground below. As he got up, he began to clap.

"Bravo! Nicely done! I admit I was caught off guard for a moment." Fate's eyes narrowed. She was being toyed with. He hasn't once made even a single attacked, just playing with her. She noticed that she was gripping Bardiche a bit too tightly. She had to steady herself. She couldn't let herself get riled up. Swallowing those emotions down, she readied Bardiche again. "Oh?" He let out as he saw Fate fly straight for him. As soon as she was in range, she swung, to which he dodged with but a simple sidestep, only for her to follow up with another swing, and for him to dodge again. And she swung again, and he dodged again, and again, and again, and again. Fate unleashed a flurry of strikes, hoping to tire him out, lock him down, anything, but he danced around every slash with the grace of a figure skater. Just barely missing him each time, she became irritated again when she noticed that not once did he lose his cocky smile. Seeing this, she kept on and on. She had to get him at some point, she had to beat him down. She couldn't lose, not to him!

"Wow…" Nanoha watched on as she saw Ren fly around Fate, weaving in between each attack as if it were choreographed. She stood mesmerized by his graceful movements, swift and sure. Sometimes she couldn't tell who was who as Ren's coat and her cape flew around, obscuring the two of them like a stage curtain. She could fly well to be sure, but she couldn't perform at such a level of agility like the one he was displaying, at least not for long.

"Something's strange. I'm still detecting the Jewel Seed, but the signature is so small…" Yuuno noted. That's right, he had a Jewel Seed, Nanoha remembered.

"But Ren's become so powerful. How could the Jewel Seed signature be so small if he's gotten that much power?" Nanoha was confused. He was a just a normal person right? Was the Jewel Seed acting like a device? What was that power anyway, it wasn't anything like magic.

"It's just a guess," The two turned to see Morgana walking up to them, the last they saw of him was when he showed up next to Ren after the monster became chained and disappeared. "But I'm going to go on a limb here and say that Joker's wish wasn't for power."

"Joker?" Nanoha was confused. Who was that?

"Joker." Morgana pointed over to where Ren was, still just toying with Fate, dodging attack after attack as if he were just talking a little stroll. Nanoha wanted to ask why Morgana called Ren, Joker.

"Then what was his wish?" Yuuno asked, curious as to what wish could even allow for such power, if it wasn't actually power.

"I think that what he wished for, was for a way to use his own strength," Morgana revealed, smiling as he watched his friend back to his old self.

"So wait, this is all his own power? The seed's only acting as a means to access it?" Yuuno asked to clarify.

"I don't know. I'm only guessing. However I do know is that this power is all his own. Just watch." Nanoha did just that as she saw Fate having completely exhausted while Ren looked just fine.

"Already tired?" Ren asked, not even breathing the least bit heavily as Fate struggled to keep standing, Bardiche barely being held just above the ground. "Geez, I still haven't even done anything else…" Joker just rubbed the back of his head, nervous that perhaps he over did it. Fate was too tired to respond. She just didn't have any energy to even speak. She tried to lift Bardiche up, but couldn't raise it any higher.

"I… can't… lose… here…" She said between her gasps for breath. It was the only words she could get out after resting for just a little bit. He sighed inwardly. This wasn't any fun, toying with a kid. Not only that, in that exchange he noticed something that put an even more sour taste in his mouth. This fight wasn't doing anything for him, and if he continued on, it would have just made him feel worse.

"Geez… this hasn't been a good warm up for me either… Tell you what-" He put his knife away and placed his hand upon his face. His mask flashed blue again, before he quickly ripped it off. Unlike before, he didn't have any ceremony or blood about it, but azure flame did rise again. This time however, instead of the red gentleman demon from before, it was a scantily clad woman with horns. "Ishtar! Salvation!"

She found herself suddenly surrounded by a bright light. Unsure of what it was, she could only close her eyes for whatever magic he was about to attack her with. Only, instead of pain, she felt healed. She felt strength return to her, her breathing became easier, and her arms were able lift Bardiche an appreciable amount again. When the light faded, she felt as if she hadn't fought at all.

"Feeling better?" She jolted at the sudden question. She turned to see him kneeling down, looking right at her. She froze this time, only her eyes moving to scan the person in front of her. She noted that his facial expression had changed. Unlike the cocky smile he showed just earlier or even when they first met, this time his smile was kind and warm. His question, she remembered, also sounded genuine, like he was really worried about her. "That spell also got rid of the scars on your back too." Her eyes lit up in surprise. Disregarding her enemy kneeling right next to her, she threw her cape off, to look at her back. Her mouth opened ajar when she saw that indeed what he said was true. All her scars were gone.

"But… how?" Fate whispered. She'd already applied healing spells to those wounds. How powerful was that spell that it completely got rid of the scars? That shouldn't have been possible.

"Now where did those scars come from? Because from the looks of it, those don't look like the kind you get from fighting with magic blasts. Who did that to you?" She noticed his expression as he asked her. He was solemn and worried. Why was he worried about her? Why was it that this person, who she's hurt so much, now trying to help her? She remembered that she compared him to a knight in shining armor. What she looked at wasn't anything like that, in fact it was almost like he was the exact opposite. But the way he acted, it was like…

"Fate!" She heard Arf rush towards them. Unlike last time, she was in her human form and prepping a magic spell. As she closed in, she fired it, causing him to cartwheel out of the way. "Did he hurt you?" She asked Fate as she landed between the two of them, trying to keep him in view as she occasionally stole glances of her master behind her. She held her hand up and ready to fire another bolt of magic.

"No…" she answered. In fact he did the opposite. The only thing he's done this whole time, was dodge and then heal her. "Arf, stand down. I want to ask him something."

"Fate, we shou-"

"I said, stand down…" Fate asked Arf once more. Arf relented, lowering her fists. "Thank you," she said, giving her familiar a warm smile before turning to Joker a few feet away, standing leisurely with his hands in his pockets. "Why did you heal me? You could have defeated me and taken my Jewel Seeds for yourself. What did you stand to gain from doing that?" She asked as she walked in front of her familiar.

"Heal?" Arf wondered, as she looked at her master for wounds. "You're scars…" Arf blinked a few times in disbelief. The scars were gone. Not a single one remained.

"What can I say. I don't like fighting little girls," Joker simply put, placing his hands out to display to shrug at his own lack of satisfying answer. "My opponents tend to be the more heinous type of characters. Come on Goldilocks. We don't have to do this." He put his knife away, stowing it somewhere behind his back as he then held his hand out. "Let's just talk." Him too, he's asking to just talk as well. Words welled up within her, wanting to escape to answer, but then she thought of her. Who she was doing all of this for.

"I can't… I'm sorry…" she told him, her voice quivering as she said as such. She didn't know why she apologized, why she felt the need to even answer him. She remained silent as she raised Bardiche again. She had a mission she had to fulfill, so why was there a part of her that didn't want to fight? Why did a part of her want to talk?

"Making a girl cry also isn't my style," Joke said to no one in particular. Fate, hearing the words, stopped to touch her own cheek. To her surprise, it was wet. Why was she crying? She ran her arm across her eyes, wiping her tears away as she readied Bardiche again. This time without stopping, she summoned forth a pair of magical circles, one below and one in front of her.

"Pierce, Thun-"

"Ongyoki! Lullaby!" With another flash of blue upon his mask, Joker swiftly cast a spell. Fate, readied herself to take it, only for her eyelids to suddenly become heavy.

"Wha-what?" She said drowsily as she began to fall to the floor. Her last vision before being entirely taken by sleep was a strange black robed figure with horns and an odd bladed weapon.

"Fa-fate…" Arf also began to lose consciousness. Soon the two of them simply fell to the floor without any resistance. Bardiche also began to glow, transforming into a jewel that flew into an indentation on Fate's gauntlet.

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha cried as she saw her lying on the floor. She flew right to the blonde girl, placing Raising Heart down as she got on the floor and picked Fate up. "Ren, what happened? What did you do?" she desperately asked him as she continued to look over Fate in her arms, trying to see to any wounds on her body.

"Relax Miss Nanoha. All Joker did was cast a sleeping spell. See? Still breathing." Upon hearing Morgana's explanation as he walked up to them, Nanoha calmed down as she looked back at Fate to see her chest steadily rising and falling in a relaxed rhythm. "Thank goodness…" she let out a sigh of relief when she realized that Fate was alright… and was probably in better shape than she was.

"Ishtar, Salvation!" She looked up to see that beautiful lady again being summoned by Ren, before she was surrounded by the same light as Fate was just moments ago. "Feeling better, Princess?" Upon being asked, she realized that she felt… fine. She felt as if she hadn't fought at all.

"What a powerful healing spell," Yuuno remarked as he closed in. "I don't think I've ever seen one so potent before, able to heal wounds, fatigue, and it seems even able to heal most ailments and scars as well. Ren, Morgana, just who exactly are you two?"

"We can save that for another time," Morgana told them. "We should first think about what we're going to do with the two of them." He pointed at the pair of mages that lay asleep before them.

"Hmm… Nanoha?" Joker called.

"Huh? What is it?" Nanoha asked, tilting her head to the side, wondering what it was that Re- Joker, wanted.

"Think you can lift one of them up?"

"EH?"

 **-0-0-5-0-0-**

"Just around this corner," Joker told them as he began to turn the crossing, carrying the unconscious body of Arf on his back. Seeing him disappear for a brief moment, Nanoha jerked forward to try and catch up, dragging Fate with her as she carried the other girl on her own back. Once she saw him in sight again, she slowed down back to her previous pace, though she noted she was close to him than before. Morgana and Yuuno followed close by, looking out for anyone in the vicinity.

Apparently, Re-, Joker's parents weren't home, so he thought that he could let them stay at his place. Nanoha knew it was a nice gesture, and she was more than happy to help, but she still couldn't figure out what changed his attitude to want to help her. He seemed almost obsessed to help Fate right now, but she couldn't fathom why. She wasn't going to question his intent however.

"Um, J-Joker?" Nanoha called, wishing to finally have her questions answered.

"Yes Princess?" Nanoha couldn't help but puff her cheeks at that. She couldn't remember when, but he'd been calling her Princess for the last few hours or so. She didn't like the feeling like her heart was going jump out of her chest every time he called her that. It felt like something was squeezing her tightly, choking her, but choking her warmly and kindly if that made sense. If she let it get to her now though, she'd miss her chance.

"I wanted ask you earlier, but are you okay? You still have the Jewel Seed inside you right?" A good question, he realized. He tried to check around his person as best he could while still holding onto the sleeping wolf girl. For the life of him he couldn't find it.

"It's probably integrated itself inside of you, just like it's done with the other beings that have come in contact with a Jewel Seed." Yuuno's explanation made a degree of sense. Though he was unsure about having something like that in his body. However given the results, he was remiss to complain. "But that raises a different question. We've already heard what your wish was, so what exactly was that power you showed anyways? It took a second for Joker to realize Morgana probably spilled the beans on what his wish most likely was. He didn't remember explicitly making a wish, though perhaps the seed fed on his inner thoughts and fulfilled his wish that way.

"Hmm... How can I explain this," He let out, trailing his thoughts as he did so.

"The allow me to do the honors," Morgana offered.

"Sure, I've got my hands full at the moment." To emphasize his point, he readjusted Arf on his back as she was beginning to slip.

"So then, I think it's time we explain ourselves, Joker and I, given the fact that the proverbial cat's out of the bag." Making sure he had the attention of their other half of the team, he then continued, "Joker and I are Persona users: Those who are able to call upon the strength born from one's heart."

"Peru-so-na?" Nanoha asked, her head subconsciously tilting as she asked it. She'd never heard the term before. Was it English?

"Is that what that magic is called? It seems similar to summoning magic," Yuuno remarked as he tried to take in what he was being told.

"I suppose it looks similar to that, but rather than summoning something outside of yourself, I assume, rather you're bringing out your true self. Personas are basically one's true self made manifest to put it another way," Morgana made sure to clarify.

"True self? Y-You mean that demon thing is Ren's true self?" Nanoha asked being frightened by the memory of that incident. "But that can't be! Ren's too nice for something like that to be his true self," she denied. How could the one she looked up to have something like that inside him? Wouldn't some kind of cool, super awesome, super hero thing be more fitting?

"Unfortunately, it being the true self, you aren't always going to see something nice, Miss Nanoha. People aren't always the kind, shining knight in armor they seem to be. That being said though, Joker's Persona is actually based on a fairly Heroic Figure, The Gentleman Thief Arsène." Morgana's answer, though it helped her to understand the concept of Personas just a bit more, left her more confused as she'd never heard of this Arsène.

"Is that some kind of hero of legend on Earth?" Yuuno asked. Curious as to the culture of the planet.

"A literary thief, master of disguises who only ever stole from criminals worse than him while helping the law-abiding citizenry. He always did things in audacious style, but never crossed the line, refusing to commit murder or other heinous crimes," Joker was the one to explain. "An Anti-Hero."

"Anti-Hero? But what I still want to know is why that's your Persona, your true self? I mean for as long as I've known you, you've always been such a kind and brave person. You're more like a normal hero." Joker was starting to see that perhaps she was beginning to develop a strange mental image of him.

"Do you want to explain?" Morgana asked Joker, raising the curiosity of their audience. "Or should we just leave it be?"

"Yeah, I don't mind. In fact here's the perfect spot." He slowly came to a stop as he seemed to look around. Nanoha noticed his breathing quickened before relaxing, taking in the site. It was just a normal street, so why did he look so nostalgic?

"You know it was more than a year ago I was standing here," He began to explain to Nanoha and Yuuno.

"What's so significant about here?" Yuuno asked, trying to see if there was something out of the ordinary about this place.

"Let me ask you Princess. If you saw someone being assaulted, someone in trouble, what would you do? Before you had Raising Heart." Joker asked her.

"Before? Well, I guess I'd either try to help or I'd call the police." Nanoha wasn't sure why he asked this question. Isn't natural to want to help someone in trouble.

"Yeah, that's the normal response. That's why I thought to do that too, right here in fact." He tapped his foot on the ground, given that he couldn't point. "I still remember it quite well. Walking home then suddenly hearing what sounded like a man and a woman arguing. As I got closer I could hear that the man was apparently assaulting the woman." He tried to leave out details that weren't exactly kosher to tell a nine year old.

"That's terrible…" Yuuno commented, somewhat aware as to what Ren was alluding to.

"Yeah, so I decided to try and stop him after the woman asked me to. It was just a light pull to get him off of her, but he was drunk. He lost his balance and fell on the ground, cutting his forehead on the pavement." Joker wouldn't ever forget that face. He was changed now, he was in jail now, but he'd still never forget him.

"But the woman was okay right? You stopped him so it went well right?" Nanoha asked. Joker took a deep breath, not liking to have to explain it to a kid.

"Apparently the man was a high ranking government official. When the cops came, they didn't come for him." He could taste the bile welling up within just remembering it, even after it was resolved and should have been behind him.

"I don't get it. Why did they come then?" Nanoha truly was just an innocent little girl caught up in events too big for her, but he wanted to come clean to someone who looked up to him like she did.

"They came to arrest me." He then began to start walking, hoping the cycle would dull the anger he was beginning to feel. The rest of them followed right after.

"What? But you helped that woman!" Nanoha cried, almost in disbelief that something like that could happen, in her hometown no less.

"Yeah, but the guy who I pulled off her was some bigshot who controlled the police. Afterwards he sued me for assault, and well, I got booted to Tokyo for a year."

"How horrible…" Yuuno couldn't believe something like that could happen to a good guy like Ren. "That's… I'm sorry something like that happened. Though do you mind telling us what happened next?"

"That's when he met me," Morgana said, butting into the story, though Ren didn't mind. "There he learned to unlock the power of Persona. I'll spare you details, but it wasn't pretty. Eventually we were able to finally get at that guy using this power. Don't worry it was done in secret." Ren and Morgana exchanged a look. Mentally they both agreed they wouldn't share more without the rest of the team.

"But what happened exactly?"

"Who was it that did that to you?" Yuuno and Nanoha bombarded. Nanoha particularly wanted to learn who it was that got Ren in trouble for trying to do the right thing.

"Princess," Ren called, wanting to steer the conversation to the point he wanted to make. Nanoha perked up at hearing her pet name. "I'm not some kind of spotless hero. I'm not someone who should be looked up to honestly. I've done some pretty shady things, and I'm not ashamed of any of it. I won't stand by if someone needs help, but I'm not going to shy away from unconventional methods to help them. Not anymore." Nanoha's became downcast. She was becoming angry. Angry at whoever was the guy who did this to Ren. However, like he said, that was in the past. She steeled herself to speak.

"Then, I want to be a part of that!" Nanoha spoke up, her sudden volume catching Ren off guard. "You're right. Perhaps I've been looking up to you too much. But how can I not when you're so much of what I want to be? Don't look down on yourself so much Ren! "

"I'm-"

"Why are you helping Fate-chan right now?" She asked him, interrupting him.

"What?"

"Why are you helping Fate-chan right now?" She repeated. Seeing that she wasn't going to budge on the subject. He relented and decided to answer.

"Well, as I was dodging around her, I noticed something under her cape," He started.

"And it was?" Nanoha didn't know where this was going, but her instincts told her this was the right path.

"She had scars on her back. Not combat scars. The kind you see from something like a whip." Nanoha's eyes widened as she looked over at Fate who's sleeping face so was close to hers. She then recounted something that Yuuno had said.

"But you then healed those scars, right?" Yuuno had said that the healing spell he used could even heal scars.

"Right…" He said, still a bit off balance from Nanoha's assertiveness.

"And now you're taking her to your home to…?" She trailed, hoping he would finish. She was just trying to make him realize his own kindness.

"I'm taking her to my place because I don't want her to go back to wherever it was she got those scars. Honestly, it's just a guess, but it's from a reliable source I have." After seeing those, it clicked in his head when he remembered a message he got the other day. Though in the end it was still just a hunch, coupled with some of the things Arf said.

"See, you are a good person!" Nanoha declared, her smile beaming as she made him lay bare his reasons for doing what he was doing. Ren could only stare blankly as he realized that Nanoha kind of played him for a fool, in a good way granted. He chuckled to himself. Seems he was still being knocked around by little girls, guiding him about. "And if you need it, I'll always be there by your side to remind you." Even though she was so young, the affection and resolve he felt from her were as genuine and real as any other bond he had. Perhaps she really did understand him and the world around them.

It was then his vision darkened. A familiar sound of chains resonated in his mind as all of time seemed to stop entirely. In his mind the image of a card suddenly appeared, wrapped in chains. The card wasn't one he had seen before. Some kind of strange humanoid with a staff alongside wings of some sort was center in the image. The name that appeared in his mind was also one he wasn't familiar with, 'Aeon'. The bond also felt strong already, but only half, as if some other part was missing. Then just as suddenly as it had appeared, it vanished as time resumed.

"Wa-wait! I mean. I'll always be with you. I mean always around you. I mean… mou!" Nanoha squirmed in place as the realization dawned on her that she said something that perhaps she didn't want to say out loud. He chuckled, as he stood there watching her as she completely lost it.

"You might want to put Goldilocks down," he suggested.

"Huh? Bu-"

"It's cause we're already here." He nodded towards the house they were in front of. A simple two story house that was smaller than the one she lived in, but it still looked cozy.

"Yup! Home sweet home… I guess." Nanoha wasn't sure what Morgana meant by that as she followed Ren into his home. It was dark without anyone else around.

"The living room's in here, set her down on the couch." She did as instructed, though she couldn't help but swivel her eyes about, trying to take in the place that Ren lived in. It wasn't like there was anything special, but for some reason she wanted to just see everything. Once she placed Fate on the couch. She saw Ren suddenly flash blue, his outfit and mask disappearing as he did so. A quick glance told her that he had placed Arf on the nearby armchair. "Thanks, I'll take it from here. I've got a spare bedroom I can put them in." He said as he gave her a reassuring smile that things would be okay.

"You should go home. Your family must be worried, Miss Nanoha," Morgana told her as he began to nestle on top of a different chair.

"Right, if you need anything let us know!" Yuuno said as he climbed onto Nanoha's shoulder.

"Yeah…" Nanoha then began to walk back to the entrance of the house with Ren seeing her out, slowly making her way there as she took in the sights once more. "Ren!" She called, turning around to meet him.

"What is it?" What could she have wanted at this point? She seemed to point downwards, prompting him to kneel down. She then put Yuuno down before getting back up to face him once more.

"Um… Here!" She threw her arms around his neck as she squeezed tight. "I was so worried when you caught fire like that. I'm so glad you're safe Ren." He realized that she was probably holding back her worry this whole time. Her friend got caught in a situation that could have ended horribly. She seemed to be sobbing slightly though he could only hear it thanks to her face being so close to his.

"I'm okay now," he told her as he pat her head, trying to reassure her that he was alright. After a few seconds though, he followed it with, "Though you're not going to be if you don't go to bed." After hearing that, she let go, giggling a bit at his little remark.

"I'll see you later then?" She asked, her face still tearful, but smiling. This time when she looked in his eyes, it was completely sincere. He was okay. How long has she been staring?

"Of course. See you later, Nanoha."

"B-Bye Ren!" The two waved good bye as Nanoha first walked out the door before going into a full sprint. He worried about the reason why she ran so quickly, and why she covered her face. It was probably what he thought it was, wasn't it?

Oh well, he had guests to see to, and counter measures to think of.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Rereading that scene again in editing, I'm reminded of Celica's Astral in Blazblue where she heals the opponent to full, then Minerva rockets them away from the battlefield. Anyways, like some of the previous chapters, I had more planned to write, but I felt that this was a good partition to end the chapter on, since the next chapter is going to shift focus a bit. Here is where I go completely off script from the Show for a chapter and make something completely original.

Overall though, for this chapter specifically, what I wanted to emphasis was the effortlessness of the battle for Ren, that this isn't a challenge, almost literal child's play. But it was also supposed to show that he still pays attention to things, and that ultimately, like Lupin, he has a code that wants to follow. What I did was have him just toy with the opponent but also show how above them he is that he can afford to heal them and just ailment them. I hope that was conveyed well

Another thing I wanted to do was begin shifting things to the Persona side from here, starting with a basic explanation that will be extrapolated to the Nanoha side of things in a little bit. How I plan to do that, well perhaps you can take a guess. Next chapter is going to be a non combat one, or minimal combat one anyways.

So as always, tell me what you think. Good? Bad? Needs more Wookies? Leave a review and tell me. I'm always looking to improve and consider advice, like if things are too cliched or not. It always helps when I get a review, not only for my drive to write, but also to improve, and learn how to take criticism.

Regardless though, I hope you enjoyed what you read. I look forward to seeing you all again, and I hope you all have a wonderful day.

PS. I originally wanted to name this Fic, Magical Thieves, Lyrical Phantoms. I still name my files something like that.

PSS. Yes I changed my profile pic. I am not upset. Also I still love the Dadaists, Eisai Harumasukoi.


	6. Chapter 6: Will of Fate

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Will of Fate**

Arf didn't recognize where she was. The look, the smell, the atmosphere, none of it felt familiar. She had woken earlier with a snap of her eyes, which currently swept to and fro about room. Nothing was unusual about it. It looked like a standard room, save for how bare it was. From the scarcity of personal affects, this was most likely a guest room, or perhaps just one that went unused. As soon as she realized it, she panicked. Looking around frantically she discovered that she was the only one in the room. Fate wasn't here.

"Fa-" She stopped herself. It wouldn't make do to let whoever brought her here to know she was awake. Instead she got out of bed as quietly as possible. Walking towards the door, a sound began pricking at her ears. Someone outside her room was talking. She slowly opened the door to minimize the sound coming out. Feeling about with magic, she noted the lack of defenses or traps. Whoever brought them here was either naïve, stupid, or perhaps both. Not only that, she detected Fate from within one of the other rooms. She seemed safe where she was, and she felt relieved knowing that she was fine. With more confidence she walked out of her room. Making sure she didn't make any sound as she stepped on the hard wood floor.

The sounds from downstairs became clearer once she was out of the room. A conversation of some sort was going on. Ignoring it she began to walk over to the Room Fate was in to wake her up, only to read the name that hung on the door.

"Ren?" She read. The name was familiar, trudging up memories of a smug, terrifying young man. Was that where she was? In that young man's house? She was about to simply throw that thought away, but then she remembered a few other things, and had a few questions as well. Why didn't they finish them off? They could have easily just ended them last night or taken their Jewel Seeds. Why take them back and provide a place of rest? Why heal Fate, also ridding her of the scars inflicted by that bitch? They had every opportunity to do what they wanted to further their own objectives but didn't.

Taking a deep breath, she turned around and walked down the stairs. They'd know she was coming, the stairs made too much noise as she descended. Going over to where the door where the sounds were loudest, something began to tickle her nose as well, a slight spicy smell. It smelled delightful and absolutely smothered her nose, teasing a mouthwatering dish. Shaking her head of such thoughts, she swung the door open.

"Huh?" She heard as she walked in. As she'd expected the boy was there… in an apron?

"Oh, you're up." She turned to the side to see the cat sitting on the couch watching the morning news. "We were wondering when you were going to get up." Her eyes narrowed in caution. This was the time to ask. She had to make it count. These people, who acted so strangely, she had to have answers, and perhaps maybe she could save her master. Well that was the hope.

Her stomach had other ideas, giving a single protracted growl. It was at that point she realized the whole room smelled of something stewing.

"Want some?" She realized the boy was cooking, stirring a pot that sat on the stove. Taking the ladle out, he poured some of the sauce he'd been cooking onto a plate of rice. "It's called curry. We have plenty." He held the plate out for her to eat… Well there wasn't any harm asking over breakfast!

 **-0-0-6-0-0-**

Her eyes fluttered open. She realized that she was on the floor, her head on her arm. Though she should have been more alarmed, for some reason her response was muted. She should have immediately called Bardiche as soon as she was awake, but she instead just slowly rose up. Looking around she found that she was in total darkness. There was nothing around.

"Arf!" She called, hoping that her familiar would hear her. No reply, and yet even so she didn't panic. It wasn't that she was prepared for this or that this was expected. "Arf!" She called again, only to be met by silence once more. This was a situation where she'd normally panic in fact. However, something compelled her to remain calm, or more like, something comforted her and helped her to remain calm. She looked about again. Still nothing around, until a light shown in the distance. She covered her eyes as the light blinded her.

It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but upon doing so, she saw in the distance a young man standing near the light. He seemed to be interacting with it in some manner, though at the distance she was at it was difficult to tell what exactly was happening. Then the light seemed to shimmer as if gesturing to him before suddenly, that young man turned to face her. Squinting, she realized she recognized the young man. It was-

 **-0-0-6-0-0-**

Her eyes snapped open this time, the light of the outside poured meekly into the room through a single opening between the curtains. Scanning it, the room was, simply put, plain. It had some décor here and there but was mostly empty. Though the desk at the side alongside the books and bag seemed to indicate the resident was a student. Shaking the sleep off of her, she quickly got up and did a magic scan of the area. No traps, and Arf was downstairs alongside two other signatures. She then remembered what happened last night.

She remembered fighting and losing to the young man of their group. It was a humiliating loss. She grimaced remembering that. She pushed it out of her head. She just simply had to defeat him next time. Take the previous battle and apply new tactics to shut him down. Probably a binding spell would be appropriate. She then walked out of the room without hesitation. Her destination was to go where Arf was. Though when she scanned again, Arf was staying in place… Realizing that her familiar might be in danger, she ran downstairs.

"Bardiche!" she commanded, as she practically flew down the rest of the steps.

" _Set Up!_ " The staff appeared in hand just as she slammed against the door where Arf was. Immediately she pointed Bardiche around, trying to see just where the threat was. The room seemed some combination of living room, dining room and kitchen. Looking about she saw the cat immediately, apparently sitting on the couch watching TV, and over a bit in the back she could see him. Though her tension fell when she realized that he was apparently cooking something, wearing an apron. What was going on?

"Oh, Fate-chan!" Her head snapped on to Arf. A wave of relief hitting her as she realized that Arf was okay… only for all of the tension to be replaced by confusion when she realized that Arf was eating something. Bardiche practically fell from her hand when she saw this. "You just have to try this thing called curry, it's amazing!" She said as she placed another spoon of this 'curry' into her mouth.

"Cur-ry?" She didn't know what that was. She wanted to deny the offer, but as the smell entered her nose, her stomach betrayed her, letting out a huge grumble. Ren raised an amused eyebrow as he saw the little girl begin to blush.

"Here," he said, offering her a plate as well. "Can't skip breakfast."

"Come on Fate-chan! This is great!" She watched as Arf took yet another bite, squirming about as she tasted the curry again. Arf looked so happy eating it. "So good!" Fate was confused again. First healing her, then giving her a place to rest, and now feeding them? Why?

"Come on, it's best while it's warm," Ren told her, as he set a plate down for her next to Arf, placing silverware right by the plate. Her stomach grumbled again. One bite couldn't hurt. And so far, he hadn't proved a danger. He hadn't hurt her at all so far. She stowed Bardiche away, sending it back into its jewel state as she walked over to the table, taking her seat. She then saw the young man place his own plate down in front of her on the other side of the table.

"Itadakimasu…" he quietly said as he then began to dig in as well. Unlike Arf, he was more controlled in his consumption, though it was probably because he was used to eating this 'curry'.

Watching the two of them consume it so readily, she looked down at her own plate. Doing so exposed her point blank to the smell of spices. It was still warm, steaming up to her face, almost obscuring her vision. In front of her was a plate of rice that had some sort of sauce poured over it, a combination of carrots, potatoes, onions, and chicken, all drenched in a spice filled stew. Her mouth began to water as she took the spoon that sat next to the plate. Scooping up some of the rice and stew portion, she looked at it once more by itself, some chicken and carrots in this batch. She blew on it a couple of times to cool it down, each breath she took making her inhale some of the musk of the dish, making her hungrier each time she did so. Finally, she took a bite.

Her eyes widened as she tasted the curry. The flavor of the stew drenching the rice, potato and chicken. The rice was steamed just right, fluffy but still solid. The curry had completely dyed the rice in its cavalcade of spices. The carrot was also soft, it's flavor not completely taken by the curry, instead serving as a sweet accent to the rest of the dish. It wasn't so strong as to overshadow the rest of the flavors, but instead made her appreciate the spiciness more. The chicken was juicy, it was cooked firm, but it served as the sole thing to chew through, giving volume to the dish. Each bite releasing even more flavor sealed into the meat that the spices accented. Each of the ingredients practically danced in her mouth as she continued to chew through her single spoonful until finally, she finally swallowed her first bite. Though it was a strange clash of flavors, they all still worked together, creating something better despite their differences.

"It's good…" She let out. It was really good.

"Hm?" Ren thought Fate had said something, only to be met by a shake of her head as she then continued to eat her Curry. She took her bites slowly at first, but her pace did quicken just a bit as she continued her meal. The rest of breakfast was eaten in silence, save for Arf's occasional comment and moan as she ate her own plate down to the last speck of rice. Fate continued to enjoy her own meal.

As she was eating, she ruminated on her memories. Mother wasn't home for a lot of the time. As a result, she spent most meals alone. She wanted to wait for her mother, but since she came home after her bedtime, she had no choice but to eat by herself. Though she could see mother anytime she wanted now, they still didn't eat together. She didn't know when mother became so distant and cold. She wanted it to be like the old days. A quick glance had her see Ren still eating and Arf now patting her stomach. She wondered if this was what it was like to eat as a family. Being able to eat with people you love, with people who love you back; was it something like this?

"You okay?" She was brought back to reality as she looked up to see Ren looking at her concerned. She didn't know why he was asking. "Here." He offered to her a nearby tissue. What did she need that for? It wasn't until she heard it fall to the table, but she realized that she was crying.

"Huh?" She couldn't figure it out. Why was she crying? Why did she feel like all she could do was cry? She had nothing to be sad about. She just had to make mother happy, that's all. She just had to gather the Jewel Seeds and then Mother would love her again. That's all she had to do. That would set things right again. So why did it hurt so much?

"Hey what did you do!?" Arf shouted, placing an arm in front of Fate, causing Ren to reel back.

"Nothing, she just started crying all of a sudden," he swatted Arf's arm out of the way as he went ahead and wiped Fate's tears away. "There, there. There's nothing to cry about right now." Fate did nothing to stop him as he placed the tissue on her cheeks. She noted that he was gentle, putting only the right amount of force to be able to successfully dry her face. After doing so on one side, he proceeded to do so with the other, being just as gentle and soft as the first time. When she was done, she sniffled just a bit, getting the whole thing out of her system. "Better?" Fate nodded her head.

"Thank you…" she told him, her eyes a bit puffy.

"No problem. Finished?" She looked down. Apparently, she had finished her plate without her noticing. She felt a bit disappointed but nodded. It wouldn't do her any good to eat too much. He then did the same for Arf's plate before walking over to the kitchen and taking the dishes to the sink.

"Well, if you're fine, let's have that little chat then shall we?" Morgana hopped up onto the table using one of the chairs as an intermediary. "So, I'm sure you have a few questions," He opened. "However, Let's start from the top. I'm Morgana."

"Ren Amamiya," Ren said as he sat down.

"Arf's the name, and this here is Fate Testarossa," Arf told them, pointing to Fate when she introduced her.

"Arf, why are we doing this?" Fate asked, finally vocalizing her question. Though she pushed it out of her mind for a moment while eating, she couldn't ignore it any longer. This was especially so given how Arf tried to tell them off last night and was now seemingly doing the exact opposite thing.

"Fate-chan, there's no harm in just talking right?" She said as she put an arm around the blonde girl. "Besides, with how soundly they beat us we should be careful about how we approach," Arf added telepathically. Though she kept hidden that she had a bit of hope for the young man. She might not have been alive as long as her master, but she could see things that Fate couldn't. The look in Ren's eye when he spoke to them last night told her something that she could trust. Arf didn't share Fate's opinion on her 'mother'.

"I see," Fate decided to trust Arf on the matter. Besides, there was no harm in learning more about your enemy. "Then what are you two?" Ren and Morgana explained to the two of them who they were, just the powers rather. They made sure to not include aspects involving their Phantom Thief activities, basically telling them more or less the same things as they told Nanoha and Yuuno.

"And what of Morgana?" Fate followed, given that they didn't explain his existence.

"You could say I'm something like a familiar. Don't misunderstand. I'm completely independent, but I was kind of born to help this guy out with figuring his powers out and a few other things," Morgana explained, still being careful to leave enough details out. Given the precarious situation between the two groups (though it was lessening as Ren felt it), he wasn't questioned on that front. Fate and Arf seemed to accept the answers they were given.

Fate thought on it more than Arf did however; one's true self. It was a concept that seemed to gnaw at her. Why was it that when she tried to pin down who she truly was, the answer didn't feel right? When she was about to answer it internally, that she was her mother's daughter, for some reason last night's dream rose up. That light that she remembered seeing for some reason casted a shadow of doubt on that claim. She found she was empty handed about the answer of who she was.

"Fate-chan?" Arf asked, bringing Fate back from her thoughts.

"It's nothing," she said, dismissing Arf's concern. She quickly moved on with the discussion with the other party. "So, what is it that the two of you want then? Ransom? A Hostage?" Those were the two most likely outcomes she could think of, but they didn't match entirely, given Ren's behavior prior.

"Hmm… neither of those," Ren answered, as Fate suspected.

"Then why did you take us back to your home?" If it wasn't either of those things, then what reason did he have to do this? Was he stupid? Insane? Perhaps both?

"I'm just not someone who can turn a blind eye when I see something like what I saw last night," he answered right away. Fate blinked twice at hearing that. What? That was his answer? She wasn't someone who needed help though. What did he mean by that? "Hey, Arf-san." The familiar perked up at hearing her name. "Have you and Fate ever been looked down upon like scum? Thrown out for reasons beyond your control? Othered by pretty much everyone, everywhere, even by the people who were supposed to stand by you?" The two of them heard it. Though his tone was even and calm, the both of them could sense something much darker lurking within his measured speech. For Fate it confused her. For Arf though, it brought tiny sliver of hope.

"Maybe not something like that, but I think I know what you're talking about. I think I was wrong about you," Arf admitted. She remembered that she said a few things to them last night. Though that other magical girl might still fit the bill, talking to him showed her that he wasn't cut from the same cloth. In fact, in her eyes, he might have been closer to the two of them, rather than that other girl and her ferret.

"Arf what are you-"

"Fate-chan, Master," Fate was surprised to hear Arf formally address her so. It was rare for her to do that, being that she only did as such under the most serious of circumstances. "Let me speak for a moment." She had to do this. In her eyes, Fate was trapped. Fate didn't even know she was trapped. Maybe this was the chance she was waiting for to save her master from that monster. She turned back to the young man, not waiting for a response from Fate. "Let me guess what you want to ask. You want to know who was the one that gave Fate-chan those scars right?"

"Arf!" Fate cried. She didn't want to talk about that. It was the last thing she wanted to talk about.

"Aren't you straight to the point," Morgana told Arf, ignoring the currently panicking Fate. "Have to admit I'm somewhat impressed."

"Same here. A shame to say, but we met our match last night." And more than that, Arf thought. If it was them, maybe they could beat that bitch. Fate was AAA class, near the very top. If he could toy with them, then they had to be able to be able to do something about her. Silence pervaded as they each stared at one another.

Fate still distraught, confused by this whole thing. She was a mess of emotions. Completely lost in what Arf was doing, fearful of what they might think of the mother she loved, unsure of the warm feeling that she was given moments before during their meal together. She could still feel his hand on her cheek when he wiped her tears away. It was what she wanted mother to do for her. Why did she feel happy remembering him do that? The smile he gave her when she stopped crying, was everything she wanted from mother. Why did her heart feel at ease from him doing it? Why couldn't it be mother? Why couldn't it be both? She barely realized what she just asked in her mind as it all came to head in just a moment later.

"Precia Testarossa," Arf told them. "She's the one that hurt Fate."

"Arf! Stop!" She finally commanded, putting her foot down once and for all, not knowing that doing so caused cracks to form. "She isn't like that. She's just confused is all. When we get the Jewel Seeds, she'll be better. She'll be happy then! It will be like how it used to be. So please! Stop bad mouthing her!" Fate's plea rang throughout the empty house, a desperate bargain.

Ren sighed. In such a short time the girl's face became completely marred in tears again. Her eyes were puffed red, and it was clear she was trying to hold the worst of it back. It was what he expected to hear, it was all he needed to hear. It still brought a grimace to his face to hear it. He wanted to ask more smoothly than that. Ease the idea in, but now it just all exploded at once. He had his answer at least, and it was every bit as bad as the things he and his friends stopped in the past. He could see the faces on Futaba, Haru, Makoto, and Yusuke were they here to comment on the matter; Yusuke in particular stuck out. He had to approach this better than he did that time.

"It's alright," he started. "We won't talk about your mom then." He said as he began to pat Fate's head to calm her down. Only after doing so did he realize that it was probably a mistake and was poised to take his hand back, only to realize that Fate hadn't resisted. Instead she seemed to calm down, her crying having turned into sniffles. It was clear that despite the abuse that was confirmed by Arf, Fate still very much loved her mother. That just made things all the worse though. "Let's talk about something else okay?"

"Okay…" Fate practically whispered. At first, she actually did want to throw his hand away the moment she felt it upon her scalp. However, the way his hand brushed itself on her hair calmed her down. It made her feel safe, as if he was genuinely looking out for her. She wanted his hand to stay there. It felt like something missing was found, but she couldn't place what. Though it still didn't feel right to her.

Then the door bell rang. Fate practically jumped in her seat at the sudden ringing that echoed through the house. Ren half expected this turn of events, though was still a bit surprised. Regardless, he quietly took his hand back and went to check the front door. Fate followed him shortly after, curious as to who it was, her caution somewhat gone at this point. Though that may have been because she realized how cold her head felt. She was hoping that perhaps- She threw the thought out again. She shouldn't have such thoughts. Then as soon as Ren reached the front door, with Fate in tow, he opened it without a moment's hesitation.

"Hello Ren!" Nanoha greeted him with cheer.

"Greetings!" Yuuno followed, sitting on Nanoha's shoulder.

"Shouldn't you be in school Nanoha-chan?" Ren asked, checking the clock to find that it was clearly about ten in the morning or so.

"What about you?" Nanoha asked back.

"I can't exactly leave a guest unattended," he told Nanoha. She let out a light giggle at his weak excuse. It was a school day, but both of them had opted to skip. It wasn't like Ren was learning anything anyways. As long as he showed up later to make up for it, he should be fine. He could also probably get away with a fake illness as a means to allay suspicion if the teachers wanted to pry.

"Speaking of whom, where is Fa-" Nanoha quickly spotted Fate behind Ren. Unfortunately, Fate's face still looked as it did a few moments ago; tear stained and a bit ruined. Ren began to pinch his nose as a flash of pink entered his vision. They really didn't have time for this. He could only feel exasperated as he began to speak.

"Nanoha-chan, let's calm down for a moment," he politely said in even, measured tones. She did not calm down in that moment.

 **-0-0-6-0-0-**

"So good!" It was the last of his curry, but it was a noble sacrifice. Nanoha apparently had rushed out before having breakfast, hid around the park for a couple of hours to check and ward off suspicion, before coming over to his house. The result, Nanoha was quite hungry, as evident by the way she voraciously devoured her meal. Ren leaned against the counter, watching her eat as the others watched on. Though he could swear Fate's mouth looked a bit moist. He decided to ignore that and focus on the coffee in hand. Ah, just what he needed. He missed the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

"Nanoha-chan, remember what we came here for," Yuuno tried to remind the brunette as she finished licking her lips after having eaten her entire plate.

"Oh! That's right! Hey, Fate-chan! Let's have that talk!" Nanoha told Fate somewhat forcefully.

"Not exactly something you should be asking when you have a grain of rice on your cheek," Ren pointed out, walking over to where she was. Nanoha watched as Ren seemed to put his finger dangerously close to her cheek. She shut her eyes. She could feel her face flush as she anticipated his hand upon her face. When that didn't happen at the time she thought it would, she opened her eyes, only to be met by cloth as it rubbed against her mouth. "There, clean now. What? Expecting something else?" Nanoha's brow was furrowed.

"Meanie!" She said as she threw her fist at him. Of course, she didn't put any actual power behind it, but she made sure to hit her mark.

"Right, right…" he said as he took the fake punch in stride, sipping on his coffee again.

Fate looked on, mesmerized by the scene in front of her. To her, this was the first time she had seen the two of them interacting outside of the times they were on the hunt for Jewel Seeds. While they were serious on the job at those times, here they were anything but. Ren seemed to playfully toy with Nanoha, but in a sort of kind way that would only be allowed between close friends. He didn't push too far, but certainly the way he messed with her was like was practically dancing around her, leaving her in a daze. Nanoha, for her part didn't seem angry at all, despite the way she acted. Actually, she seemed to be having fun with it, having been ready to receive such teasing. Though it was clear she was trying her hardest to keep up, she wasn't catching up anytime soon. Still, she didn't take it lying down, as evident by what her half acted, half actual indignation in the form of her weak attempts at admonishment.

Though the scene was something to admire, and admire she did, she couldn't help but feel something ugly welling up in her from watching it. She felt as if she wanted something like that, but with whom? She almost wanted to say her mother, but that wasn't quite right, nor was it wrong. It's like every time she wanted to answer, she came up with two different solutions, in two different directions. What did she want exactly? In the end, the only thing she was certain of, was that looking at them made her chest tighten, feeling as if a knot squeezed itself in her heart.

"Fate-chan, are you okay?" Looking up, she could see Nanoha leaning over to where she was, concern clear in the girl's eyes. It was the same look she gave her during their previous confrontations. Looking into them, it was a similar feeling to the one she got from Ren. When she looked at Nanoha, she felt as if she was being pierced right through, as if Nanoha was seeing all of her. That she looked at all of her, not with scorn, anger, or hatred, but with worry. It felt like Nanoha looked at her with anguish, not for herself, but for Fate.

"Huh?" Fate had become somewhat stunned by Nanoha's sudden asking.

"Well, you seemed out of it when we were just talking about you." Apparently while she hadn't been paying attention, the rest of them had informed Nanoha of the prior conversation before she had arrived. "Fate, you love your mom, right?"

"She-" before Fate could muster a defense, Nanoha simply asked again.

"You love your mom, right?" Fate, caught off guard, could only nod. "But, moms aren't supposed to do something like what she did." Nanoha looked downwards at Fate's back. Though the scars were gone, she remembered both Ren's and Arf's face when they talked about them.

"Nanoha-" Ren started, trying to reign her in before she perhaps caused things to worsen, but Nanoha turned to him. The looks she gave him, was resolute, though pleading. She wanted to keep going. He simply sighed, giving her the go ahead, to which Nanoha returned his answer with a thankful smile. Unless he did something by force, there was no stopping her. Besides, she wasn't like him. Maybe she could actually get through to Fate. Turning back to her fellow magical girl, Nanoha continued.

"Fate-chan, let's talk to her. Moms are supposed to love their children, but everything she's done so far isn't what moms are supposed to do. She's not supposed to hit you, or send you out on something so dangerous. They're supposed to hold you close, comfort you when you're feeling sad, eat with you at the dinner table, tell you stories, and a whole bunch of other things. Fate-chan, let's go to where your mom is and talk to her." She then took Fate's hands into her own, raising them up as if in shared prayer. There, Nanoha finally said what she wanted to say.

"Talk to her?" Fate… wanted to. She had so many questions, like why mom had suddenly become so distant, why she seemed to lose the warmth she used to feel from her, why whenever they spoke, mom didn't seem to even look at her, why she was desperate to have the Jewel Seeds. She wanted to know. Maybe, all she had to do was ask.

"Remember what I said? Sometimes there are things that can only be conveyed in words." Fate remembered. She, at the time, thought it was such a strange reason for Nanoha to wish to speak to her with, but perhaps they were right. The warmth she felt from Nanoha and Ren when the two spoke to her, when she felt their hands, it was what she wanted from mom again. If she could feel this way thanks to them from simply speaking, then maybe the same could be done with mom. She shifted between looking at Nanoha and Ren. Ren looked on warmly compared to Nanoha's own resolute gaze. She could feel her face warm thanks to the two of them. What was this feeling?

" _Incoming transmission!_ "Bardiche suddenly announced.

"Shit!" Arf cursed, as the jewel form of Bardiche started to emit static. Ren, Morgana, and Yuuno tensed, anticipating the moment when the other side would begin to speak. Nanoha, was more so confused, not sure as to what was going on, or why Arf reacted the way she did. Fate however, Fate had frozen completely.

"Fate, you are to return immediately," a stern, older female voice resounded from Bardiche. Nanoha frowned upon hearing such a cold, distant voice. Looking back at Fate, Nanoha's expression worsened as she saw the blonde girl breathing heavily. She acted immediately.

"Are you Fate-chan's mom?" She asked whoever was on the other side. Ren held in his surprise at Nanoha's sudden outburst. He wanted to wait and see how the situation would play out, but it would seem that plan was long gone.

"What of it?" The person on the other end answered before giving a long sigh. "This is what happens when my attention lapses for even a moment. Fate, did you hear me? You are to return immediately. It would seem that you are in need of discipline."

"Why are you sending Fate-chan out to gather the Jewel Seeds?" Nanoha continued, unperturbed by the prior answer she was given. "What do you need them for?"

"I've no reason to answer your questions. Fate, what are you doing? Get moving! After returning I will need you to continue to gather more Jewel Seeds."

"If they're that important why don't you get them yourself?" Ren interjected, trying to stay as composed as possible, but certainly it was a trial.

"Don't you lecture me, boy! I'm simply just using what I have at hand. Tha-" The woman fell into a coughing fit, and from what Ren heard, it sounded bad, the kind one would cough up blood for. Each cough sounded worse than the last, almost heaving at certain points until it finally started to die down. "Fate, I said return immediately!" Fate got up out of her seat, almost mechanically, shaking Nanoha's hands off as she did so.

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha cried as she saw Fate begin to walk out of the room.

"Arf, we're going…" Fate commanded, though Ren could hear a slight tremble in her voice.

"Fate-"

"We're leaving…" Fate interrupted her familiar. As she did so, she flashed a smile at Arf. However, anyone in the room would have told you that it wasn't a happy one. Before she could leave the room entirely though, she felt a hand grab her shoulder. Without giving her time to move around-

"You don't have to go," she heard Ren tell her. He wished he had more time, but he had to act now. He suppressed his power that was threatening to flare up, trying to remain calm.

"Hmm… I thought as much… Maybe I can also…" He could hear Morgana whisper to himself. He'd ask what he meant later. He had to say this now.

"You can stay here. You don't have to go back to someone like that. You can be free. Just stay here." When she finally turned around, she could see that, like Nanoha, Ren was pleading to her to stay. "You are your own person. What do you want?" Her lips pursed, and her eyes watered. She still didn't know what she really wanted, not anymore. Not when she was shown what she could have. Maybe staying was the right choice, maybe leaving was what she wanted. But-

"Fate!" She couldn't leave. Mom still needed her. Everything would be better again if she just did as Mom said.

"I'm sorry…" and like that Fate ran, tears falling as she rushed out the door, and flew. Arf silently followed after her, but not before giving an apologetic nod to them. After Arf seemingly disappeared, the rest of them ran after. However, before they could even make it outside, the two of them were gone. Looking out into the distance, Nanoha continued to try and see if she could spot them, only to be met by empty blue sky.

"Damnit…" She heard Ren silently say, before he began to rub the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"This is bad… Fate-chan seems like she's being used by her mother…" Yuuno finally remarked when he felt it was appropriate for him to re-enter the conversation.

"No kidding. That's… that's abuse," Morgana reiterated. "Reminds me of Yusuke's case." Nanoha didn't know who Yusuke was, but the mood didn't seem to allow for her to ask.

"Nanoha," she turned to him when she heard Ren call her name. "If you want to stay here you can go ahead. For now, let's just rest up until we see them again." It wasn't like she knew what else to do. She nodded in response. "Is there anything you want?"

"I'd like some more curry?" It would help to make things better.

"Sure, just give me some time to make some more." She did eat the last of the previous batch after all.

"Okay." They went back inside to rest. It was all they could do.

 **-0-0-6-0-0-**

Some time had passed since they had last seen Fate and Arf. No Jewel Seed had sprung up either and so eventually Golden Week Came by.

"Hey Ren, so why did your friends ask you to wait at the harbor?" Nanoha asked. When Ren told her that his friends from Tokyo were coming for the holiday, she insisted on meeting them. Ren had wanted her to meet with them too, so that he could finally explain the parts he and Morgana had intentionally left out, particularly about the Phantom Thieves. Currently their whole group were waiting there.

"Indeed, it is quite the strange place to wait for friends," Yuuno added, as he looked out into the sea.

"Yeah, remind me why they wanted us to come here?" Morgana also wasn't privy as to why they were there.

"Don't know. When I asked last night, they just kept quiet about the whole thing." He tried asking and prodding, but they had been unusually coy about the whole thing. It got to the point where they just basically told him that they were going to ignore him until they met up. Hell, they somehow got Ryuji of all people to quiet down. He had his suspicions though.

"Well since we're here, want to see if we can fish something up?" He was asked by his friends to pack a suitcase or something along with a swimsuit, and just in case he brought fishing gear. Nanoha also had some luggage next to her. Apparently, she had to do some convincing at home, but she was allowed to stay out after some help from Miyuki. With her older sister's help, she was able to get her parent's permission, though her older brother Kyouya still had some apprehensions. Though she was told to go anyway by Miyuki, who said she'd take care of it.

"Hmm? Is it just me or is that a ship pulling in over there?" Nanoha pointed to a ship pulling in to the harbor. Though he barely registered Nanoha's wonder as his eyes widened at who was on the boat, which he realized now was a yacht.

"YOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He heard from the distance.

"HEY! REEEEEEEEEEN!"

"REEEEEEEEEN!"

"Huh? Ren are they your friends?" Nanoha asked as she heard the people on the yacht call to them.

"Yeah, it's them alright. Come on!" Morgana called as Ren nodded.

"Let's go," He told Nanoha, prompting the two of them to begin a light run towards where the yacht was anchoring. So, this was what Haru was planning.

 **-0-0-6-0-0-**

"So this is the Nanoha-chan we've heard so much about," Haru was the first to say once they'd been welcomed aboard the yacht, and after the staff went ashore to give them some privacy. "My name is Haru Okumura. Nice to meet you."

"Ryuji Sakamoto! Hope my buddy wasn't too much of a handful!"

"You're one to talk. Oh, Ann Takamaki! Hmm… You're just as cute as I thought you'd be."

"Yusuke Kitagawa, a pleasure."

"Makoto Nijima. It's nice to finally meet you, Nanoha-chan."

"What's up! I'm Futaba Sakura! Hey, so what's it like being a magical girl?" Nanoha and Yuuno stiffened upon hearing as such. Huh? Did they hear her right?

"Futaba-chan, no teasing them," Haru reprimanded almost immediately. "Let them have their make-believe." Nanoha and practically fell to her knees in relief. Okay so apparently, they thou- wait how did they even come to know that? "Nanoha-chan, don't be shy. This yacht might be mine, but feel free to treat this place as if it were home."

"Oh! Um, yes. A-Also, I'm Nanoha Takamichi, nice to meet you all. Oh yeah, and this is Yuuno!" She then took Yuuno out of her bag as if he were some kind of present. She was incredibly nervous, being around so many people almost double her age. It was one thing to say that she wanted to meet them, but another to actually do so.

"Awww, she's so precious. It's kind of evil you had this cute thing all to yourself here in Uminari," Futaba commented as she approached the little girl. "Her ferret is so cute too!"

"Yeah, though I guess it's like Ren to make friends with the unlikeliest people," Ann added as she watched Futaba begin leer over the young girl.

"Now now, give her some space Futaba-chan? Look you're making her nervous," Haru chided Futaba as she tapped the fourteen-year-old girl's shoulder. "You also don't want to scare Yuuno right?"

"Fine," Futaba said, as she placed her hands behind her head.

"We have plenty of time to get to know one another." Makoto told them as she walked up to take a closer look at Yuuno.

"Yeah, like how's our favorite leader doing?" Ryuji asked, placing an arm around Ren.

"Hey, what about me!?" Morgana asked, feeling a bit ignored at the moment.

"We missed you too Morgana," Yusuke was the one to say.

"Seems you all really missed each other," Yuuno commented.

"Huh?"

"Guys did you hear that?"

"Who said that?" Ryuji, Ann, and Futaba scanned the deck of the ship they were on, but they couldn't find the source of the strange voice that entered the conversation just then. Makoto, Yusuke, and Haru were also perplexed by the sudden addition. However, they didn't notice Nanoha and Yuuno's surprise wasn't exactly the same as their own.

"Are they…" Nanoha's eyes widened as she realized what was probably going on. She turned to Ren, who only gave her a little wink.

"Hey guys!" All eyes turned to Ren when he called. "Here's a surprise of my own." Once he'd made sure that all eyes were on him, he placed a hand on his face as if it were a mask. Then, to the surprise of his friends, his visage blurred before flashing in blue flame. They all let out cries of shock at the sudden pulse of force. However, it was over in a second, and once the surprise wore away, they all stared blank face at what they saw. Ren was in his Joker attire.

"Ren! Dude!" Ryuji was the first to shout.

"I can't believe it…" Makoto let out.

"No way, is this for real?" Ann said, excitement in her voice.

"Awesome!" Futaba cried as she practically jumped to and fro around Ren.

"Amazing, but how?" Yusuke said, seeming both contemplative and shocked.

"Ren…" Haru whispered but was elated at what she was seeing. "Wait, Nanoha-chan!" They all seemed to collectively stop in their tracks as they realized that their group had two extras. Ryuji expressed himself in the most eloquent way possible.

"Shit!"

"Language, Ryuji!" Makoto scolded, though they didn't pursue it any longer given they had to act fast.

"Crap, uh, Nanoha-chan um… awesome special effects, right?" Ann tried to act… with all her usual acting ability.

"What effects? It's just Ren's power isn't it?" Nanoha asked a bit coyly. She had to admit it was a bit fun to be on this side of the revelation.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Futaba asked, before Nanoha was surrounded in a pink light. Before any of them could even make a single noise, Nanoha reappeared in her Barrier Jacket. "What the Hell!?"

"Wait, what the hell is going on!?" Ryuji cried, completely confused as to what was happening.

"Is she…" Makoto began, but was interrupted by Ren.

"I already told you guys, right? Magical Girls," he said with a shrug. Even at this point he still wanted to discredit that very line of thought.

"I see, so you weren't lying then…" Yusuke said, trying, like the rest of them, to come to grips with the fact that they were seeing a magical girl.

"Um, yeah! I guess I'm a magical girl," Nanoha nervously explained. She just followed Ren's lead. In fact, she had no idea that his friends were in on this too, but she didn't want to be left out. Besides if Ren trusted them, she trusted them.

"Well to be more precise she is just a mage who happens to be a young girl," Yuuno added.

"Woah… and you even got a talking animal mascot!" They ignored Futaba's strange comment in exchange on focusing on the strange animal in front of them.

"Hey, don't forget about me you know!" They all turned to find Morgana walking in. "Let me show you guys something I've been saving for the occasion!" Like Ren, Morgana's body seemed to blur before flashing a bright blue. Underneath the light, they could see the cat's body changing into something else, something that the former thieves recognized. When the light dissipated, they saw, standing on two legs some kind of mascot cat character with a big head, yellow scarf around its neck, and a tool belt around its waist. "Ta daa!" Morgana said with a flourish as he completed his transformation.

"When the hell could you do that?" Ren was the one to ask, everyone else still reeling in surprise.

"I've had this curious feeling ever since you got your powers back. It was like I was in the metaverse again, so I decided to see if I could transform. I waited until you were asleep, and bam. Turns out I can turn back into my old self again."

"Old self?" Nanoha asked, still somewhat enamored by Morgana's new (to her) look.

"Yeah, you can think of this as how I'm supposed to look," Morgana explained. "I think thanks to Ren's Jewel Seed, I can transform back. What the seed probably does is that it generates a field similar to the metaverse. This is what allows Ren to transform, and myself as well. I actually tested to see if I could do it outside, but if I'm too far away then it's no good."

"I see… so this metaverse location allows you to access these powers normally. I think I understand then," Yuuno said as he began to look over Morgana. "Hmm? What's wrong with everyone else?"

"You really have to ask that?" Ann said, looking as exasperated as all the others.

"This, is a bit much to take in all at once," Makoto explained. "First being Ren able to transform again, then Magical Girls, then Morgana being able to transform again."

"My head hurts…" Ryuji complained. It took awhile before they all had calmed down again. But once they all had, they gathered around as Morgana began to explain.

"Okay, so just try to feel your Persona. It will be a bit faint, but you should be able to pull it from your mind if you concentrate," Morgana told them the process by which he transformed. Ren wondered why he had to explain it like that, seeing as he didn't put nearly as much effort into it, only to realize, of course he didn't need to. The source that allowed this was inside of him.

"Oh!" Makoto let out as she was the first to glow a bright blue.

"There!" Haru was next.

"I see it…" Then Yusuke. Soon enough they all began to glow blue until, one by one, like dominoes, a shockwave of force resounded from each of them that dispelled the light, leaving them in familiar attire.

"Awesome!"

"We're Back in Business!" Ryuji and Futaba exclaimed.

"Amazing…" Yuuno said, looking upon the rest of them in their transformations. He mentally began to jot down notes as he took in what looked like barrier jackets.

"So cool…" Nanoha let out as she saw each of their transformed states. All of them looked like cool superheroes or something. Of course to her, the coolest one was still Ren.

"Princess." Nanoha turned to see Ren, in his transformed state. "Guys, in line!" Like that, they all grouped up at his command. It only took a moment, and a bit of head butting, but once they were all in place, he turned back to Nanoha. "Allow us to formally introduce ourselves," He said as he then walked to where the rest of his friends are, each of them standing tall, standing firm alongside him like a team. With a final flourish once he was in place, he held his hands out in dramatic fashion an announced, "We are the Phantom Thieves of Heart."

 **-0-0-6-0-0-**

"Only three Jewel Seeds. This is beyond terrible." A woman's voice echoed inside a largely empty throne room. In the center of the circular room, a little girl was hung by the wrists of hands. She was strung up like some common criminal. Vicious wounds littered her body, bloodied, blackened. Her clothes were in tatters, ripped at certain points, revealing more bruises and fresh cuts on her body. Her eyes barely moved, keeping track of the woman as she began to walk towards her. The woman wore predominantly black and purple, her dress cut out in strategic locations such that it still covered what needed covering while revealing otherwise. On her shoulders rested a robe that reached all the way to the floor. In her hand was a staff that clanked on the floor with each step.

"I'm sorry mother," She didn't even have the strength to move her head even the tiniest bit. It took an immense amount of will for her to say even that much.

"Fate, you are my daughter. The sole daughter of the Great Mage, Precia Testarossa." Once she got in close, she placed a hand beneath Fate's chin, lifting it up so that she could see Fate's eyes; half closed, weak, frightened. Her mother's face was distant, her magenta eyes felt as if they pierced right through her. "There is nothing out of our reach, nothing impossible for us. Everything must come to fruition."

"Yes…" was all Fate could say, trying to agree with her mother. Perhaps if she did so, she'd be kinder to her.

"You made me wait this long, and this is all you have to show for it? I can't possibly welcome you home with a smile." Though she said that, Fate could see something like a smile on her mother's face. But it wasn't the smile she wanted to see. It was cold, it was distant, it wasn't warm in the slightest. "You understand, don't you Fate?"

"I-I understand…" Fate weakly replied. She tried her hardest to hide the tremble in her voice.

"Yes, it's why I want you to remember this." She touched one of the open wounds on Fate's body, sending a jolt of pain through her, but she held it in, even as tears began to form in her eyes. "So you won't disappoint me ever again." As she finally let go, Fate heaved, trying to breathe again now that the pain was gone. Only for her eyes to widen in fear again as Precia's staff transformed into a whip. She shut her eyes closed, knowing what was to come. But if she endured, mother would forgive her, right?

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

This came out later than I wanted to for 2 reasons. One, FGO has another event going on, and guess who got a Jalter? Also, it's a lottery event which are the premiere grind events for the game. Two, I had friends go over it in case I didn't portray domestic abuse right. Wanted to make sure that it wasn't egregiously offensive, but still enough to get the point across. Precia is an abuser, straight up. She is really a horrible person, but in domestic abuse situations, of which I've actually seen firsthand, it's a lot more complicated and messy than they usually are portrayed, in most media. There's a lot of lingering feelings going on that sometimes just never gets resolved.

Especially here in Nanoha where Fate really loves her mother, and I mean a lot. It's to the point where she still refers to the woman as her mother, way after the original season, when she's an adult. Fate really loves her mom, and that's something I wanted to capture in some of the writing.

Yeah, also I screwed up a bit. Ren shouldn't have done that thing with the blood splatter again in the previous chapter, but it was cool. I love that scene in the original game so much I kind of bulldozed to have it in, without thinking on it. I'm guessing it's because I thought their faces still bloodied during the summoning, given that whenever they summon their Personas, their faces darken in the game. I thought that was blood, just censored a bit given Japan's propensity to censor violence, but strangely not sex. Turns out it wasn't. Oops. Hindsight, am I right? Also trying to turn down the pedo stuff, trying to portray just simple affection is difficult to balance, since I'm drawing upon my own experiences with little girls… Um… all platonic and not at all creepy I assure you, I still mentor them in programming stuff actually.

Lastly, I haven't actually watched P5A, mostly because I've played the game enough to platinum it, and also that I feel that the pacing would be messed up in it, due to really understandable reasons, but yeah. I might catch up on it when more episodes are out, so I can binge it since I tend to lose focus or interest easily in shows that I don't binge, that aren't Pop Team Epic, which is like binging anyways… while on the dankest shit!

Anyways, as usual. I really appreciate the reviews, especially the ones that are pointing out possible flaws, weaknesses and so on. It really helps to spur me on to write more, as well as improve my ability to write… I hope. You know what they say, good medicine is bitter. Please continue with it.

I hope you all enjoyed what you read and have a nice rest of your day.

PS: Fun fact, did you know that Ann Takamaki, and Fate Testarossa share the same Japanese Voice Actor, Nana Mizuki? I actually completely forgot until I looked it up again.

Edit made to test something... ş̲o̝̰̣̥̠̗͘m̴͖̗͖͔̤͈̕ȩ͇͔͈̠̻͎t̷̨̜̜͍̖͈ͅḩ̵̬́i̹̱̬̳̪̝̖n̨̙͈̙͔̮̱͜ͅģ͈̦̼͘͠


	7. Chapter 7: Those in Authority

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Those in Authority**

"What the hell is wrong with that woman…" Arf said to herself. She sat huddled at the side of the wall as Fate's screams echoed from beyond the shut door that lead to Precia's throne. She covered her ears as best she could, trying to dampen out her master's cries of pain mixed with the sound of lashings as the whip could be clearly heard to meet skin. "This is too much… That woman…"

"Ahhhhh!" Arf heard her master scream louder than any scream before. Arf grit her teeth as she forced herself up, rushing towards the door as her face scrunched up in anger. Though Fate seemed to refuse to acknowledge it, Arf knew that Precia was abnormal. She'd always been cruel to her master. For as long as Arf was aware, all she could remember was Precia treating Fate more like a doll than a person. However, for some reason now, it was more than the usual. She slammed her hands against the door where Fate and Precia were behind.

"Are the Jewel Seeds that precious her!?" She screamed softly so as not to be heard. She couldn't understand it. Were those things, those objects, more precious to her than another living human being who she claimed was her daughter? However as much as she wished she could, she couldn't let the ever-growing bile in her stomach flow. She was afraid that it would only make things worse.

 **-0-0-7-0-0-**

"The Lost Logia are necessary to realize your mother's dream." Fate, barely holding on to consciousness, could only vaguely hear the sound of Precia's voice as she stayed her whip. Even so, she wanted to be a good daughter. She had to answer.

"Yes, mother." Her voice burned as she eked out a reply, her voice only coming out as a small, weak whisper.

"The Jewel Seed's purity is unmatched. You are a kind girl, so there may be time you might hesitate. However, if someone stands in the way, destroy them. Do not listen to them. Do whatever it takes. You have the power to do so after all." Precia undid her magic, returning her whip to its staff form. Not a moment after, the magic shackles holding Fate also disappeared. Without anything to support her, and she herself too weak to stand. She fell onto the floor with a thud. She almost screamed as the pain from her wounds exploded once they made impact with the floor, but she bit down so as to not make any more noise for her mother. "You'll do it for me, won't you? Fate, my daughter? My adorable Fate?" Her heart became elated to her those words. Even through all of the pain, she couldn't help but be happy to hear her mother call her daughter. Mother only hurt her, because she still loved her. Though small, Fate's lips pursed upwards.

"Yes, I'll go, mother." Fate struggled to get up, to meet her mother's gaze, but all she could manage was to get on her knees and elbows. It was a struggle to rise any higher. She couldn't even raise her head.

"I'll sleep for a time. When I awake, be sure to please Mother."

"Yes, mother…" Precia then turned around and left into the darkness at the edge of the throne room. It wasn't until a few minutes after her mother left, that Fate was able to stand. Her knees wobbled as they tried to support her. Her entire body ached from the fresh wounds. Fate simply stared into the darkness where she last saw her mother, before turning towards the door out. As she limped out the door-

"Fate-chan!" She heard as Arf ran to her side. The moment her body felt even the slightest semblance of purchase within Arf's embrace, it gave out, pushed beyond its limits. "Fate, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?" Arf cried as she cradled her master in her arms. She could see the lashes that littered Fate's body, black and red appeared beneath torn cloth and leather.

"What are you apologizing for, Arf? I'm fine… Really…" Arf didn't buy it for a second. She could tell that Fate was trying her best to force even the smallest ounce of energy to reply, but even said ounce was in short supply.

"But… I never thought she would… Even though you brought was she asked for, why is it this bad?" Arf's eyes raced up and down Fate's body. Though she had seen them just earlier, it was quickly dawning on her the damage that had been inflicted. There was almost not a single place untouched. "If I'd known it was going to be this bad then I would have-"

"Arf," Fate interrupted, catching her off-guard. "It's not that bad. Mother did it for my sake."

"How!? This isn't for your sake, this is just her taking her anger out on you!" Arf fired back, but Fate was undeterred. Mother loved her.

"You're wrong. We're family. The Jewel Seeds must be very important to her. Mother has been sad for so long. I want to do something to make her happy." Then when Mother smiled again, they could all be happy.

"But, even so-"

"Arf… Please. It will be fine, I'm sure of it," she gently whispered as she placed a hand on Arf's head. All Arf could concentrate on however, was how the arms was just filled with cuts and bruises. Even so, her master still found the will to be gentle in her touch. "If I obtain the Jewel Seeds and bring them home, mother will surely smile." Fate tried to smile as she continued. "She will return to the kind mother she used to be, and she'll surely be kind to you too, Arf. So, let's go."

"But-"

"I will not fail." Arf's protest died in her throat as Fate's gaze hardened, not at her, but at what was to come. Arf wanted to argue, that anyone would have been better family than Precia. That guy was a better family in every way to Precia. He'd taken care of Fate, fed her, listened to her, consoled her. They weren't blood, but he was every bit the family that Fate deserved. However, seeing Fate so determined, so driven, made her will to do so fade. "Come, Bardiche's detected a Jewel Seed." Just like that, the moment to perhaps change her with words had gone.

 **-0-0-7-0-0-**

"Huh? Phantom Thieves?" Was all Nanoha let out, not sure why Ren and company suddenly started posing like out of an old anime, or was it new?

"Huh? Is this true!?" Yuuno seemed to understand who they were. Nanoha's eyes scrunched in frustration. She knew she'd heard the name before, and to see Yuuno figure it out before she did was quite vexing. Rather than make it more awkward than it already was, she bit the bullet and simply asked.

"Um… who?" As testament to their professionalism, the Thieves did not immediately break character upon finding out their introduction missed its mark. As a testament to their youth however-

"For real?" Ryuji asked, the first to break character as his face, even while behind a mask, clearly displayed his incredulity for their audience's lack of knowledge. "You never heard of us?" Nanoha could only meekly shake her head, all the while racking her brain to try and see if she could remember who they were. It was on the tip of her tongue. She felt like a few more seconds and she could recall, but it just wasn't working.

"Uh… then…" The rest of them stopped posing soon after Makoto began to speak, given that holding those poses any longer was going to embarrass them quite a bit. "I suppose it shouldn't be surprising for people to not have heard of us, particularly those who are very young."

"But we were everywhere! I mean even people in the U.S. had heard of us!" Futaba complained. "Come on! Haven't you at least heard of our slogan? Take your heart? O-or how about our 'Phansite' where you can post stuff all you want? Ringing any bells?" Something dropped into the pit of Nanoha's stomach, but she still couldn't place why. A part of her felt that pursuing that line of thought any further was a grave mistake, but still, she soldiered on. And like a line of dominoes, the pieces fell one by one. The gears turned. Then suddenly, the lights flickered on, and Nanoha's face lit up in crimson.

"Ah…"

"Ah?" Ren repeated, all of them worried by the fact that their youngest member suddenly turned a color resembling a ripened tomato.

"Th-then… you a-all…" Each of them looked between themselves, wondering if they should do something about her sudden nervousness, before it also dawned on them as to why she probably felt that way. Makoto placed a finger to her temple in frustration. Futaba snickered. Haru giggled slightly, but tried to hold it in. Ryuji was simply at a loss for words on how to proceed. Yusuke still hadn't cottoned on. Morgana just watched it all play out as Ren mentally went through the choices as to how he would respond. Ann stepped in first however.

"It's okay Nanoha-chan. We underst-"

"I-it wasn't me! It was my friend Alisa-chan! She's the one who posted the request!" Nanoha cried desperately, tears budding from her eyes. "I swear, she sent it as a joke! I-I don't actually- I mean, it's not- there's a-" Her words kept getting caught in her throat as she tried over and over again to force an explanation of some kind, until at some point it became a garbled mess. Giving each other a silent nod, the Thieves decided to wait it out, and let her run out of steam. She wasn't going to be listening to any of them in her panicked state. Once Nanoha had finally run out of breath, Ann spoke up again.

"It's okay Nanoha-chan," she repeated. "We know it was a joke. We get requests like that all the time." Ann hoped the deflection would do wonders to allay Nanoha's embarrassment. After all, misery loves company.

"R-right! It happens all the time! It was just a joke!" She emphatically latched onto the fact that hers was only one many jokes. Of course, it was a joke! It wasn't serious. So what if she did want- She stopped herself right there and didn't look back. Shaking her head clear, she realized that now was the perfect time for an information exchange. "So, let's just forget about all that stuff! Instead, how about you tell me more about what you guys do?" The thieves gave each other quick aside glance before giving a simultaneous nod.

"Well, we were, or I guess are, thieves. However, the targets of our activities aren't exactly what one would consider typical," Makoto began to explain.

"How so?" Yuuno asked, his head tilting in confusion.

"Well to be specific, we don't target what people would consider their possessions," Haru added.

"Right, what we target are the source of their desires!" Futaba clarified with a proud huff.

"Desires? You mean like what they want right?" Nanoha was confused. "How do you do that?"

"Uh… well…" Futaba found herself flat footed when she realized that even though they had their powers back, they still didn't have the Metaverse Navigator App to go along with it.

"We used to have something called the Metaverse Navigator on our phones. It's what allowed us to enter the Metaverse we mentioned prior. From there, we were able to enter people's hearts. Specifically, those of the corrupt and twisted," Yusuke answered bluntly.

"Yeah! And once we were inside, we would ransack the place and take the source of their corruption, their desire." Ryuji beamed as he reminisced on their past activities.

"Ransack might be too strong a word, but yeah that was basically it. Once we took the source of their desires, or Treasure as we called it, it would cause the person we stole from to change," Ann explained. "They'd become remorseful for their misdeeds and come clean."

"Did you ever target the innocent then?" Yuuno asked, a bit stern in his questioning.

"We couldn't. Only those with strong negative or corrupt thoughts could ever get a palace. As a result, our targets _tended_ to only be people who were the worst of society," Morgana quickly said to abate any concern, the ferret might have had as to the perceived lack of scruples the thieves may have had.

"I see," Yuuno let out as he became relieved to hear of such. Though he still rose an eyebrow to the way Morgana emphasized the 'tended'. Alongside that, they left out pretty much any particular details for their so-called heists, though we was willing to let that slide since they most likely did that given Nanoha's age.

"So, you guys targeted bad people and turned them good?" Nanoha asked, trying to put in a way she could understand more easily.

"Basically, yeah," Ren answered her.

"So, you were the good guys?" Nanoha asked for clarification.

"We tried to be," Ren told her.

"I see…" Nanoha mused as she began to understand just what the Thieves were. "I always wondered how you could be so cool and brave. But after hearing this, it all makes sense now. You've been a hero for a long time now." Ren blushed at having been called a hero.

"Heroes huh? Man, when a little kid says it, makes me kind of embarrassed," Ryuji said, scratching the back of his head.

"Ryuji, she only called Ren a hero, don't let it get to your head," Ann chided.

"Aww come on, let a guy dream would ya!" Ryuji fired back.

"Any who, why don't you tell us about yourself and what's been going on here then?" Haru asked Nanoha. She along with Ren, Yuuno, and Morgana, went on to explain what they'd been doing so far. They were quite shocked to hear about the existence of magic in general, outside the ones used by their Personas anyways. It didn't take them long to adjust to the situation though, given their history. Though some took longer than others, they all grasped the situation in short order regarding the Jewel Seeds.

"And so that's the gist of it guys," Ren concluded after they had finished explaining the whole thing from the beginning.

"Doesn't sound hard at all," Ryuji proudly stated.

"Hmph, though the challenges now take place in the real world, their difficulty certainly does not appear any greater. We've fought our share of monsters before. We'd be most happy to help," Yusuke said with a confident smirk.

"I don't know guys, I'm a bit worried about this Fate-chan they mentioned. I don't have a problem kicking monsters to the curb if we need to, but a little girl? Not only that, but one that sounds like she's getting abused? That doesn't sound easy to me at all," Ann reminded them.

"I mean, yeah we're not gonna beat up on a little girl! I was just talking about the monsters. Not her!" Ryuji said in his defense.

"Well, as much as it makes us look like bullies, with this much force at our disposal we might be able to come to a peaceful resolution with her if we convince her to stand down. We just have to show her that fighting us isn't worth it. That's probably our best bet," Makoto stated as she offered her own solution to the problem.

"As expected of someone aiming to be a police commissioner. Trying to diffuse it with a display of force, but not a show of it," Futaba teased. "But that doesn't answer what to do about her mother…" None of the thieves could miss how Futaba's expression changed. Though Nanoha and Yuuno might have missed it, the thrives certainly didn't, and they had a suspicion as to why. "What kind of Mom could make their kid look like they were about to be killed?"

"I dunno, you ever see my mom pissed at me for my grades?" Ryuji got a glare for his remark. "I was joking! Look I know what it is, and it was the same shiii- I mean stuff, my Dad pulled on my Mom and me."

"It really is the only conclusion that could be made of the situation regarding Fate-chan…" Haru solemnly added.

"If only we had the app back…" Ann commented.

"Regardless, this is what I want to ask you guys," Ren stated, bringing everyone's attention to himself. "Right now, we have to stop not only the Jewel Seeds but this Precia Testarossa. Nanoha, along with Morgana and Yuuno, as well as myself have done alright so far, but I think we'll be able to get through this no problem if we all work together. So-"

"Dude, you don't have to make so much of show out of it. Hell, you didn't even have to ask," Ryuji interrupted him.

"He's right, have a little more faith in us. I thought it was already clear we're on board with helping out," Ann followed.

"We do appreciate the formal request though," Yusuke was next to say.

"Like we'd settle for being useless on the sidelines," Makoto cracked knuckles as she said as such.

"Heh, just feed me the Jewel Seed Signature, and we'll find those puppies in no time," Futaba asked Yuuno, afterwards, the two of them proceeded to seclude themselves so that Futaba could get a read on the items in question.

"I mean, did you expect any other outcome?" Haru asked. Ren was beside himself from having been caught off guard by the gumption on display by his friends. Internally he scolded himself from having doubts to begin with.

"Not at all. Just wanted to make it formal I suppose," He said with a happy resignation. "So, I guess we're going to help out if you don't mind," he told Nanoha.

"I don't mind at all! Thank you much very much!" Nanoha said with a thankful bow. "With this, we shou-"

"Guys! We got a hit!" Futaba screamed as she and Yuuno ran back to the group. "We got a signature a few blocks from here!"

"Already!? I mean we've only just got here!" Ryuji said in surprise.

"That's just how it is," Ren said, trying to get everyone's attention. "Alright, Nanoha, Yuuno, and I will head out first as part of the advance group, everyone else, follow up and hide in the shadows in case Fate shows up. If she does, try to catch her off guard and surround her. From there we'll go with Makoto's earlier suggestion and try to convince to her to stop. Everyone got it?" All of them gave a resounding nod. Nanoha herself was a bit bedazzled to see Ren so confident and in charge. "Then let's go. Nanoha?"

"Uh, Yes?" She practically yelped since she had been distracted.

"Come on, let's see if we can help Fate-chan out," Ren said with a confident smirk on his face.

"Yeah!" She said with a nod. She'd be ready this time.

 **-0-0-7-0-0-**

"Sealing Barrier! Deploy!" Yuuno activated the barrier once they had gotten into range of the Jewel Seed.

"Is that it?" Ryuji asked as he and the other thieves tried to scatter themselves amongst the trees.

"Seems like it," Ann answered as she was the only one next to him, with the others having hid in other places surrounding the monster. Futaba had taken to the skies above instead, inside Prometheus. She was currently hiding amongst the clouds. The Jewel Seed had taken hold of another tree. This time however, the tree began to sprout arms and a face. Nanoha, flew right in front of it, readying Raising Heart towards the monster. Not long after, Ren landed next her.

"Ready to go?" He asked, to which she replied with a simple, resolute nod. Before they could act however, a barrage of yellow bolts streaked past them, striking at the monster. Before they could hit their mark however, it seemed that the Monstrous Tree erected a kind of barrier to block the bolts of magic. "Seems like she's here." In response to the assault, the Monster roared as it's roots raged from beneath the ground, surfacing and destroying the surrounding park.

"Yuuno, run!" Nanoha commanded, to which Yuuno complied, running to where he sensed Morgana's presence within the thicket.

" _Flier Fin,"_ Raising Heart cast, applying the spell in order to avoid the incoming onslaught of roots. Ren simply dodged in between as if it were a simple matter.

"Nanoha, I'll leave Fate to you. I'll try to entertain this guy in the meantime," He said as he dodged another set of roots on his way. Then on a separate internal channel thanks to Futaba, "Feel free to jump in if something goes wrong guys."

"You got it Joker, we'll still keep an eye out for an opportunity to surround Fate as well," Makoto was the one to affirm what the rest were thinking.

"I'll leave it to you Ren! Raising Heart, we've got to fly higher!"

" _Alright!_ " Like that, the two rose higher into the sky. " _Shooting Mode!_ " Nanoha took aim at Fate, deciding to leave the neutralizing to Ren.

"Arc Saber!" Fate commanded as Bardiche produced its signature yellow energy blade. As she was about to fire it at the tree however-

"Not so fast!" Fate heard from above before having to fly out of the way of a pink beam of light.

"What are you doing? The Jew-"

"Ren's got it handled. I… I want to talk to you about something!" Nanoha cried as she readied Raising Heart again. "If I win this, I just want to talk again… Will you listen to me then?" The two stared at one another as Fate rose into the air to meet Nanoha. Then without words the two clashed.

On the ground however…

"So, how's it looking Oracle?" Ren asked as he dodged another set of Roots flinging themselves about.

"The barrier's not that strong, just one good attack and it should go down," Oracle explained after analyzing the Tree a bit. "I don't think there's any tree huggers around so go ahead and do your worst."

"How about a bit of a trimming then," Ren said as his mask flared just a bit to indicate his having switched Personas. "Yoshitsune! Hasou Tobi!" A samurai with two blades appeared above him, and with a single swipe of its blade, a series of cuts one after the other assaulted the poor monster. Each slice, one after the other, seemed to travel the entire length of the park, cutting up the roots and battering its barrier to no end. By the time the fifth slice hit its mark, the barrier had broken and the final three strikes cut the tree to ribbons. Upon receiving fatal damage, the tree began to shine as the Jewel Seed rose from what was left. "It's all up to them now. It's Nanoha's turn. She has to seal the seed before we call it case closed," Ren explained to the group as he stood vigilant to the battle raging in the sky.

"Fate, the seed!" Arf yelled from below, having stayed out of Ren's way when he was confronting the tree monster. Pausing their mid-air battle, Fate and Nanoha both turned to find the Jewel Seed Rising from the monster's body.

"Jewel Seed, Seal!" They both cried, this time making sure their spells didn't interfere with each other, instead causing the seed to be sealed even faster this time. With this, the seed became inert, floating in the air as it awaited someone to take it away. Without a second's delay though, they then pointed their devices at each other once again.

"Yaaahh!"

"Haaah!" The two screamed as they flew at one another, their devices ready to strike.

"Should we make ourselves known now?" Haru asked over the channel as the two closed in on one another.

"No wait I'm sensing some else approaching! They're coming in fa-" Futaba wasn't able to finish her sentence in time as a bolt of lightning crashed in between Fate and Nanoha before a pair of loud clangs rang out between the two girls. Once everyone had caught up, they found that floating in between the two of them was a boy around Nanoha's age, holding Raising Heart in one hand, and keeping Bardiche at bay with a weapon in the other.

"Stop!" They all heard him command. "I am Chrono Harlaown. Executive Official of the Time-Space Administrative Bureau, and you will tell me what is going on here!" The boy who commanded them to stop wore a black cloak and dark pants which matched his dark navy eyes and hair. The only odd thing about it were the spikes at his shoulders. His hands were covered in plated gloves and in his right arm was an oddly shaped staff which had an odd shaped gun barrel like structure with a metal wing on attached, followed by a disk like ornament at the end.

"The Time-Space Administrative Bureau?" Yuuno intoned.

"Who're they?" Morgana asked.

"I'll explain later," Yuuno answered as they continued to watch the proceedings.

"First, put away your weapons," He told the two as they began to float down to ground level. Once there, he continued with procedure. "If you continue to fight, then I wi-" He was interrupted as volley of orange bolts were fired his way, letting his grip on Fate and Nanoha's weapons slip, he erected a magic barrier to deflect the attack.

"Fate! We're withdrawing! Get out of there!" Arf called as she began to muster a second attack from above in her wolf form. Fate didn't have time to argue as Arf fired once more. Swallowing down her frustration, Fate, in the confusion of the resulting explosion from Arf's attack, flew up to grab the Jewel Seed. This was her chance. She had to do this. This would make mother happy. However just as it was in reach, she felt pain surge through her as she realized that she had been assaulted by the boy's magic. Bolts of blue colored magic rammed into her, knocking her down as a result. She didn't have the strength to scream as the bolts knocked the wind out of her.

"Fate!" Arf cried as she dove, but at her distance, she wouldn't make it! She pushed. She couldn't let Fate fall. She couldn't let her master get hurt like that, but try as she might, she couldn't close the gap. "Fate!" She yelled once more in despair, only to have a black shadow rush past her, faster than she could ever fly, and snatch Fate right out of the air. After colliding with Fate, the shadow then flipped and tumbled before landing right onto the ground, revealing Ren, with a surprised Fate in his arms being carried like a princess.

"We've got to stop meeting like this Goldilocks. I suggest a nice little shopping trip to the mall next time. What do you say?" He said with a smile, causing Fate to blush madly. Though they both returned to reality as the dust cleared, revealing the boy to be pointing his staff at the two of them. "You know it's not very gentlemanly to assault a lady. Didn't anyone teach you any manners?" Ren taunted Chrono.

"Ren stop, that's the TSAB!" Yuuno cried as he ran up to him.

"Who?" But before he could inquire any further-

"Fate!" Arf cried as she flew towards them. "Thank you for saving her Ren," Arf knew better than to distrust the young man after all this time. After all, if you're hedging your bets on someone, it would behoove of you to make nice with them.

"Not a problem," Ren replied.

"Stand aside, civilian," Chrono commanded as he charged a spell at the tip of his staff.

"How about you stand aside?" Ren said as he snapped his fingers. The foliage began to rustle as his friends surrounded the boy. Each of them readied and pointed their guns, and slingshot, at Chrono, ready to fire.

"Huh?" Fate let out as she was surprised to see more people dressed like Ren pop out from out of the woods to surround the TSAB member. Why were they doing this?

"Hey Arf, now's a good chance to run," Ren told them as he put Fate on the wolf's back.

"Heh, I'll take it then! We're running away, hold on tight!" Without another moment's hesitation, the two disappeared into the park as the thieves held Chrono up.

"They're out of range. Seems like teleportation," Futaba chimed in to let them know they were safe.

"Alright then," Ren said in relief before pulling his own gun out towards the TSAB member. "Tell you what, you put away your weapon, we'll put away ours. Seems like a reasonable deal to me."

"You let a potential suspect get away, why should I believe anything you say?" Ren was genuinely impressed by the kid's gusto. Normally most people would be pretty nervous to be surrounded by so many guns, but here this kid was, not even batting an eye. Maybe it was ignorance to the effectiveness of their weapons, but even so, it was impressive all the same.

"Meh, I guess not, but the offer still stands," Ren said as he continued to eye Chrono, making sure to take stock of any sudden movements.

"Ren, stop! I told you this is the TSAB! They're an interdimensional security force, basically like police," Yuuno tried to explain now that he had the opportunity, at least in short given the situation.

"Ren, I don't think he's a bad person. Don't you think we can be the ones to put down our weapons?" Nanoha pleaded. In response, Ren began to swivel his sight around his friends. Each of them wore differing expressions regarding this. It seems they were a house divided on the matter. However, despite that, for some reason the idea that they were police just rubbed him the wrong way. He just couldn't trust them. Something deep down prevented him from wanting to put his gun down, even though he knew it wasn't the worst thing in the world to try diplomacy. Why couldn't he bring himself to put the gun down?

"Chrono stand down, I believe we can trust them at their word." A voice suddenly rang out before a green magic array popped up and expanded. Once it reached a certain size, a green haired woman appeared in an image within the array, wearing what looked to be an officer's uniform.

"Ma'am, I-"

"Can I have your word that you will stand down?" She went on despite Chrono's protests. Ren took a moment to size the woman up from beyond the magic communication spell. She looked to be quite youthful but he reminded himself that there had to be a reason why she was giving out the commands. The image didn't reveal much of her surroundings or others for him to gleam an information from. She herself remained calm and composed with a professionalism that impressed him. Without anything else giving him a tell of some sort, he was left no choice but to pay attention to her eyes. She twitched, probably because she noticed him focusing on her when making eye contact. However her gaze remained steadfast, yet trusting. He needed more info, but given the time crunch, he had to make a decision based on what he had now. Ren reluctantly gave the order for the rest of the thieves to stand down. Each of them, at their own pace, began to lower their weapons in silence. He, however, continued to keep his own gun trained on Chrono.

"There, the rest of them have put their weapons down. If Spikes stops keeping his glow stick lit up, then I'll stand down too," Ren couldn't let all the leverage disappear, not when the danger still hadn't completely passed. Even if this officer seemed fine, there was no telling what she might actually be like. This might simply be a mask for all he knew. With other's lives on the line, he couldn't afford to place his trust so easily in others, especially authority.

"Chrono!" She commanded.

"… Yes ma'am." Chrono lowered his staff, letting the spell he had readied disperse. Seeing this, Ren also forced himself to lower his gun before putting it away. He had to uphold his end of the bargain.

"See not so bad?" He said half in jest, and half trying to convince himself, he realized.

"I suppose so," the officer woman agreed quite heartily. Her friendly demeanor however garnered the opposite effect from Ren, putting him further on edge. This didn't go unnoticed. "There's no need to be frightened. I'm Lindy Harlaown, Captain of the Administrative Bureau vessel Arthra."

"Joker, and that's all the information that's on offer right now," Ren replied. He noticed immediately that this woman was dangerously perceptive. The way her demeanor shifted as their conversation, as short as it was, went on told him this wasn't someone he could easily hide things from.

"I see. Am I to assume that's not your real name, Ren?" Dammit, whoever they were, they were probably observing them before making contact.

"I'll let you believe what you want to believe," Ren answered without missing a beat.

"Then I will go ahead and do just that," she said before turning to the young officer on the ground. "By the way, good work, Chrono."

"I'm sorry. I let one get away," he apologized.

"That's alright," Lindy told him. "If possible I'd like to talk to these people for a bit. Would you mind bringing them aboard the Arthra? Ah! Not to arrest you or anything, just to talk! You're free to leave whenever you wish!" She immediately clarified upon noticing how stiffly the teenagers reacted upon hearing her well meaning invitation.

"Are you sure about that ma'am?" Chrono asked, understandably wary about people who, just moments ago, were pointing firearms at him.

"Hmm… I believe they can be trusted," was all Lindy said as explanation. Chrono could only shake his head in resignation.

"Understood. I will return immediately." The magical array cut off as soon as he Chrono finished speaking.

"Guys, I tried tracing the signature of that talking magic array thingy, but I'm getting uber weird coordinates," The Thieves heard over the comms from Futaba. It seemed Chrono couldn't hear them, so he probably didn't have any kind of magic to listen in on their conversation.

"Think we can trust them?" Ryuji was the first to ask.

"I mean she didn't seem so bad," Haru noted. "After all, we've met less reasonable authority figures in the past."

"Yeah but the way they handled fighting Fate-chan… It was kind of harsh don't you think?" Ann said as she recalled watching the blond girl getting shot out of the sky without remorse.

"Perhaps, but it wasn't a lethal strike, nor was it unprovoked. Still we should keep our wits about us," Yusuke noted, trying to remind the others of the full picture.

"I think we should hear them out. That woman didn't seem like she was trying to hide anything from us. If anything, she seems to have given us quite the level of trust considering that she made an offer but didn't hear our answer," Makoto pointed out.

"Well Ren, what do you think? Safe to say the rest of us will probably follow your lead," Morgana said as he continued to keep an eye on the boy who seemed to be fiddling around with something.

"Futaba, get down here. We're going to see what they're about," Ren told the group.

"Ren?" Nanoha's voice gave everyone a small bit of fright as they realized that the young mage had been left out of their conversation. "Everyone's been quiet the whole time. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, just telling Futaba to meet us on the ground," Ren told the young girl.

"I'm here!" Futaba said as she landed from Prometheus. Due to his lack of knowledge however, Chrono immediately assumed a battle-ready stance. "Woah there, little man! I'm friendly!" Futaba practically sneered.

"She's with us," Ren clarified, coming in between the two.

"If you say so," Chrono said matter-of-factly. "Anyhow, we'll be transferring soon. Is this everyone?" He said, while keeping an extra eye on Morgana. It seemed he was a bit weirded out by him.

"Yup, and if you have something to say to me go ahead and say it," Morgana replied.

"Nothing." Chrono then went back "Prepare to transfer." Before they were able to ask what exactly that would entail, the thieves were suddenly engulfed in light and the world around them seemed to disappear.

 **-0-0-7-0-0-**

"Where… Where are we?" Nanoha asked as she nervously looked around. The group appeared in what looked to be a hall of sorts straight out of a science fiction novel. The interior looked to be almost like that of a space ship's. Were it not for the giant magic circle behind them, none of them would have been able to guess that this was magic related in the slightest.

"Reminds of my father's palace…" Haru noted as she looked around. The others were still trying to take in their surroundings.

"I'm not sure what you mean by that, but we're inside a TSAB cruise ship. Simply put, it's a ship that can move freely between worlds," Yuuno was the one to answer.

"Please keep moving," Chrono interrupted, prompting them all to follow him. Silently, they each stepped off of the platform they were on and proceeded to follow the boy through the ship.

"Um… I'm not sure that was simple…" Nanoha answered after trying to digest what Yuuno had said just earlier.

"I think he means like a space ship," Futaba tried to put in another way.

"Sort of, but… well… In addition to the world you all live in, there are multiple other worlds. This ship crosses the space between them. The TSAB is a monitor for anything that affects these worlds."

"So, wait you guys are aliens!?" Ann asked a bit surprised to here things about other worlds and immediately assuming what everyone else, save for Nanoha, was thinking.

"Um… not quite… But I suppose that's one way to understand it," Yuuno answered as they reached an elevator. The each filed in one by one until they all had filled the rather spacious elevator. Once the doors closed, Chrono turned to them, though specifically he only looked at Nanoha.

"It must be quite stuffy staying in that outfit. You can deactivate your barrier jacket and device if you like." Before Nanoha could answer in turn-

"What so you could leer at her? What a little pervert," Futaba said with a jeer.

"It's not like that," Chrono said, and to his credit he remained calm… or appeared to at least, given the rosiness of his cheeks just then.

"Really? Don't listen to this guy Nanoha. He just wants to see you without your clothes on," Futaba continued.

"Is that so?" Nanoha asked, unsure of what to make of the situation unfolding around her.

"I do not! I'm just telling her that she doesn't have to continue activating her Barrier Jacket if she doesn't want to! That's all!" Chrono finally snapped. "Besides, the transformations are instantaneous so there wouldn't be anything to see in the first place!"

"No need to get worked up about it. It's perfectly healthy for a young boy to want to see those sorts of-"

"Futaba let it go," Ren intervened. Futaba gave a simple shrug, having had her fill of messing with the young officer. "Nanoha, you can disengage if you want, don't let it bother you."

"Um… you're no-"

"As Chrono said, there's nothing to see, but if you want your privacy, us guys can close our eyes," Ren said, trying to diffuse another bomb before it could start.

"Alright then…" With but a snap, her clothes immediately morphed back into the casual set that it was before. Raising heart also returned to being but a simple necklace. Like they had said, nothing to see. Chrono then eyed the Phantom Thieves.

"We'll stay like this," Ren said. It wasn't like what they were wearing was uncomfortable or anything… well for him at least. He couldn't necessarily vouch the same for the others, though given how none of his friends seemed to disagree with him on the matter, it would appear they were going to stay in their costumes as well.

"Suit yourself. What about you? Don't you want to return to your normal form too?" The group was surprised to see Chrono's question being directed towards Yuuno of all people.

"Ah, now that you've mentioned it, I've been in this form for so long I'd completely forgotten about it," Yuuno answered as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"Huh?" Nanoha let out wondering what Yuuno was talking about right as Yuuno's body began to shine. "Eh!?" Just as her face turned into one of utter shock. The rest of the thieves also found themselves quite surprised, but not as much as their youngest acquaintance. They'd already seen so much prior that this wasn't anything by comparison. Now if Yuuno could turn into a vehicle, that would have been shocking to at least one other member, and a blow to their pride. Under the light, they could clearly see the form of the ferret transform until it took on a humanoid shape not dissimilar in age and size to the other young kids in the group. Once the form seemed to stabilize, the light died down and a young blonde boy with simple clothes had appeared.

"It's the first time in a while I've shown this form to you guys, huh Nanoha, Ren, Morgana?" The boy said. However instead of familiarity, the new kid was met with something entirely different instead.

"Wha-wha-wha-wha- AHHHHHHHHHHH!" Nanoha screamed in complete shock.

"Nanoha?"

"Yuuno… Yuuno… Um… But… You're… EEEEEHHHHH!" Nanoha seemed completely unable to gather her thoughts as she continued to stammer about with what appeared to be no end.

"So, you had a human form…" Ren was the first to vocalize.

"That's not fair!" Morgana cried.

"I mean that's not surprising. Lots of kids shows have that sort of thing happen," Ann mused as she tried to pat down a pouting Morgana. Morgana immediately calmed down. Ren decided not to point out the odd face Morgana was making as Ann stroked Mona's head.

"Hmmm… transformation… I might be able to use this idea in a piece…" Yusuke said to himself as he studied Yuuno up and down.

"Um… so you all weren't aware?" Chrono asked, confused about the group's confusion.

"Nanoha, wasn't I like this the first time we met?" Yuuno asked.

"No! No you weren't! You were a ferret right from the beginning all the way up till now!" She said, waving her hands about in a panic. In response, Yuuno then attempted to recall their first meeting. It was a few moments of thought but eventually he the remembered that Nanoha was right.

"Ah! You're right! I'm sorry! I hadn't shown you all this form at all until now," Yuuno apologized, realizing that he'd made quite the blunder.

"Right! You surprised me!" Nanoha said, practically crying in embarrassment and nervousness.

"Well at least you guys know now. Seriously that's a serious screw up," Ryuji commented as he let out an exasperated sigh.

"If even Skull's saying that then…"

"Hey what's that supposed to mean!?" Ryuji interrupted before Makoto could finish.

"If I can interrupt," Chrono said with a cough to catch their attention. "The captain is waiting, and we'd like to hear your story as soon as possible. This way please," he said as the elevator door opened. Without another word, the group followed the officer as they made their way through the ship's dark looking halls, their steps clanking against the metal with each step.

"By the way Joker…" Makoto began with a whisper as the group continued to walk forward.

"What is it?" Ren answered.

"Are you okay? You've been crossing your arms the whole time, and your gaze keeps shifting about," Makoto noted to him.

"Has it?" He hadn't noticed at all. Was he really that tense?

"You mean you didn't notice?" Ryuji chimed in.

"You've been like that the whole time," Ann said, corroborating what everyone else had apparently seen. Joker looked to the rest of the team to see Haru, Yusuke, and Futaba also nodding in agreement. When he turned to Morgana…

"I mean it's not like we had a better moment to mention it," the cat admitted. How long had this gone on?

"If you don't want to meet with the captain, we'd understand. We can do so in your place," Makoto offered.

"No, that's alright. Better I face the issue head on, rather than let it fester. Besides it would be bad form for the leader to not show up after a display like that," Ren told them. It didn't need to be said what the issue was. Not because it wasn't a problem, but because they didn't need to put it into words.

"Of course," Makoto replied with a knowing smile. "But don't forget, we're here for you. You won't face authority alone this time."

"She's right. This time, all of us will be there in the interrogation room," Yusuke stated. "Speaking of which…" Speak of the devil and he will come. Apparently, they had just reached the meeting room.

"Captain, I've brought them," Chrono declared as the room opened.

"Huh?" Nanoha vocalized her confusion, as she peeked into the room where the discussion was to unfold.

"What the?" Ryuji stated with a blank face.

"I did not expect that…" Yusuke let out as he looked to and fro. "Fascinating."

"This doesn't look like a normal interrogation room…" Makoto noted.

"Oh… so many bonsai!" Haru finally was the one to say. Contrary to expectation, the room that opened was a strange looking room. It shared the metal walls and pattern of the rest of the ship, but it was brightly lit. Bonsai decorated the shelves on the left wall. On the other, a shishi-odoshi and mini pond with bamboo stalks proudly rising out of the ground. The shishi-odoshi let out a steady sound each time the bamboo tube hit the rock. At the far end of the relatively small room, was a raised platform made of tatami with a tea set and traditional Japanese umbrella. Needless to say, this left the earthlings quite puzzled as sitting in seiza on that raised platform was the green haired captain they had seen not so long ago.

"Good work, Chrono. Come in, all of you. I apologize for the small size but please, make yourselves at home." Lindy tried to appear as welcoming as possible, as invited them in. Nanoha, and the Thieves all looked at one another. Not all of them were going to be able to fit onto the platform. The room would be able to have them without issue, it's just the tatami platform was the problem.

"Joker, Nanoha, Yuuno, and I will take a seat on the platform. The rest of you will probably be too many…" Morgana declared.

"I'd like to argue, but you're probably right. At least it feels something like home…" Ryuji commented as he began to walk in, taking the time to admire the pond that was set up.

"Again, this room was the only one I could think of to help you all relax on such short notice. I'm sorry. Next time we'll have a much bigger reception to house all of you," Lindy apologized once more as they all walked in. Yusuke decided to join Ryuji near the pond, Haru and Ann remained close to the bonsai, while Makoto stood near the tatami platform as Ren, Yuuno, Nanoha, and Morgana all took of their shoes and took seats on top. Chrono followed suit once the others had gotten themselves comfortable.

"Now then," Lindy began as she started to pour tea for them all. "Let's hear it."

 **-0-0-7-0-0-**

"I see, so then you decided to recover the Jewel Seeds after they had disappeared thanks to a transport accident," Lindy concluded.

"Yes, that's correct," Yuuno affirmed. "I felt that it was my responsibility due in part that it was my fault that the Lost Logia were uncovered in the first place."

"Um… what are the Lost Logia?" Nanoha asked. Had she not done so, Ren was about to ask himself. It wasn't the first time they'd heard the term, as he was sure that Fate had said it at some point. However, they hadn't received a proper explanation on what a Lost Logia was.

"Ah, well, they are relics from another world. Um, do you understand what that means?" Lindy specifically asked Nanoha. The young girl could only shake her head to say that she didn't. "Ah well there are multiple worlds in Time-Space." She began to explain "Each of these worlds are like yours. They grow and mature over time, progressing at different rates. Among these worlds are ones that grow perhaps a little too quickly. Sometimes they end up creating technology or magic that end up destroying their world and what's left over are dangerous relics of those worlds that are lost."

"Those relics are commonly known as Lost Logia," Chrono added. "We're not always sure how they were used in their respective civilizations, but they regardless have the power to disrupt, not just worlds, but Time-Space itself. Simply put, they are dangerous."

"That is why they must be kept safe in an appropriate place, following proper procedure," Lindy stated, following what Chrono had mentioned. "The Jewel Seeds specifically, are crystallized Time-Space energy. Should they be improperly handled, or perhaps simply used at all, they could cause a dimensional disturbance, dimensional dislocation, or perhaps even worse things we might not be able to imagine. They are that dangerous."

"Some time before, we'd detected some kind of dimensional disturbance. You probably witnessed that scene no?" Chrono mentioned. As he did so, the memories of when Ren had grabbed the Jewel Seed began to seep into her mind. Was that what they were talking about? "It was unusual in nature, containing strange signals we'd not encountered before, but the base phenomenon was within prediction. Even just that localized phenomenon, just a thousandth of the power of a single Jewel Seed has such a large effect. The effect of activating several of them at once would be catastrophic."

"It would most likely be similar to the dimensional dislocation that occurred in the year 462," Yuuno said, recalling what he read from history.

"It was terrible, so many neighboring worlds were lost. A tragedy we'll never forget." Lindy's solemn expression told them that this wasn't something to take lightly. "Regardless," she began once more, clearly wiping her previous expression away as best she could, "The TSAB now has full authority of the retrieval of the Lost Logia – Jewel Seeds."

"You should all forget about this incident and go back to living in your own worlds," Chrono said to all of them, particularly looking at Yuuno as he said as such.

"But that's -" Nanoha was first to yell before Ryuji had a chance to.

"This incident is involved with Time-Space itself. It's not something civilians can, let alone should, get involved with," Chrono bluntly stated. Ren wanted to retort, and he could see how much the others wanted to as well, but he made sure to signal to them to not say a word. The time to speak hadn't arrived yet.

"But-" Nanoha tried again, only to be interrupted by Lindy this time.

"Well I'm sure this is sudden for all of you. There's so much information to parse, and in such little time. Take the time to think it over tonight, and talk amongst yourselves. We can discuss this further after you all have talked it over." Though she was being as nice about as she possibly could, there was something in her and Chrono's voice that the only the thieves felt… condescension. They were being looked down on. They knew that feeling well. It wasn't malicious in this case, not in the slightest. However, it was clear that they were seen as nothing more than a side show.

"I'll take you back to where we first picked you up," Chrono said as he began to stand up. Ren noticed that he was tense with annoyance as he watched the boy get up from seiza. He also noted that all his friends also were watching the scene carefully. Whether they were watching to make sure he didn't explode or because they themselves were about to, he didn't know. "However, he'll have to come with us first to extract the Jewel Seed embedded in his body before we can let you go." And there it was. He wondered at what point they were going to bring it up.

"It must be hard on you having such a dangerous thing inside yourself, but do not worry. We'll be able to safely remove it and contain the item without any harm done to your body," Lindy told Ren.

"You knew?" Nanoha asked in disbelief.

"So, when did you notice," he asked as calmly as he could.

"It was on our sensors the whole time. We were at first confused as to why we were detecting two Jewel Seed Signatures, however it wasn't long until we realized just where the second signal was coming from," Lindy explained.

"Just follow me, and we'll have it removed post-haste," Chrono said to him.

"And what if I don't want to?" Ren asked, finally beginning to show his hand.

"Lindy-san, please understand. Though he has a Jewel Seed embedded within him, he appears to have complete control over it! I'm certain it will be fine to let him use its power until the incident is resolved," Yuuno said, jumping to Ren's defense to keep the Jewel Seed for the interim.

"Do you have any way of guaranteeing that it will not go berserk while inside his body?" Lindy bluntly asked. She had tried to convey her worry as best she could, but she needed to let them know the direness of the situation. "Can you guarantee he won't die from containing the power to rip Time-Space asunder within him?"

"That's-" Yuuno didn't.

"Then I believe that, for his safety, this is the best course of action," Lindy said with a resigned look in her eye. She didn't want to do this, antagonize these civilians. However, she had to put her foot down here.

"Who's your best fighter on the ship?" Ren asked, causing all eyes in the room to draw towards him.

"That would be officer Chrono here. Why do you ask?" Lindy had a sneaking suspicion as to what he was about to say but kept it to herself in case she was wrong.

"If you want proof that it's not any danger, that the Jewel Seed won't run amok, how about I give it to you? Me and Chrono, 1 on 1. Just a battle to prove that I can control it, what do you say?" Ren said, his hand outstretched in offer.

"Hmm…" Lindy hummed as she thought to herself. She looked back and forth between Ren and the rest of the group. "And if you are unable to show that you can control it, you will immediately forfeit over the Jewel Seed?"

"A gentleman keeps his word," Ren said as he gave as best a bow he could while still sitting in Seiza.

"Oh my, you remind me of this old anime my husband used to watch. What was it again? Lupi-"

"Captain!" Chrono interrupted, bringing Lindy back to her senses.

"Right, well we do have an available facility, and should something go wrong we will have staff and equipment close at hand to contain anything that may occur," she mused to herself. "Fine then. Chrono, please spar with Ren."

"Captain you can't-"

"I believe we can trust him. And besides, there's no place safer than here. You can go as wild as you like," Lindy said as she turned back to Ren. "Now you're an adult so, no complaining about the results, alright?" Lindy said, like a playful teasing mother.

"That's what I was going to say," Ren said with a cocky grin. "Any objections?" He asked the rest of the group.

"Show that brat who's boss, Joker!" Futaba was the first to answer. Of course nobody mentioned how Futaba didn't have too much room to talk.

"Normally I'd be against violence towards kids, but if we don't have a choice…" Haru said, her tone shifting rather ominously at the end of her sentence.

"Well, Noir aside, sometimes we do have to live up to our name as Thieves and play the villain," Ann said.

"I don't like the idea of having to go against authority again, but the idea of being sitting useless while others handle things is even worse. I trust you'll have no issues, Joker," Makoto said, with an expression of total confidence.

"It's their funeral. Anyone who underestimates us is asking for a whoopin'," Ryuji declared.

"I'd love to see other parts of the ship, and this would be the perfect opportunity to gather more ideas for my next piece. I'm particularly interested in making a dynamic battle piece right now," Yusuke said with a contemplative expression. "You'll find no complaints on my end."

"Well I think it's unanimous Joker," Morgana said, after hearing everyone else out. "Show them just how much control you have." Ren gave a single nod to his group before turning towards Nanoha.

"I… I don't want to have to fight them if we don't have to, but if in doing so, I get to keep fighting with you, then I suppose you'll just have to beat them! If words aren't enough, then perhaps action is!" Nanoha surprisingly told him. "There's no way you'll lose! I just know it!"

"Thanks, Nanoha," he said as he pat her on the head as thanks for the vote of confidence. Nanoha let out an innocent giggle as he did so, blushing a bit at the same time. "So, when do we begin?"

"Chrono show them to the training room," She commanded as she stared right back at him. "Remember, no complaining when you lose."

"It won't take long," Chrono confidently let out as he stood up and began to exit the room to lead them to where they were going to duel.

"Careful there Spikes," Ren said as he began to follow the boy. "If you're too confident it will make the fall all the harder."

"And you say I'm the one who's confident," Chrono retorted with a huff. "Sorry to say, you have no means of beating me. It isn't just about having power, but the ability to use it."

"Is that what you think?" Ren said with a chuckle.

"Ren?" Nanoha wondered what he found so funny.

"Nothing. It's just that… he'll never see it coming."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Real life sucks, specifically when you have someone leave your workplace, then someone has to pick up the slack, responsibilities need to be redistributed, unfinished work needs to be handled, and so much more. Luckily it was all systematized, but still, what a hassle. Anyways that coupled with a few rewrites kept this from coming out in a timely manner like I wanted it to. I had originally planned it such that no fight would occur, at another point I had planned Ren to be way more antagonistic, at another, suddenly Vegeta (I'm kidding). That and a slew of games I bought gave me things to do other than write (BBTAG on switch has taken up the majority of my time).

Aside from that I tried to balance the idea that Ren still has a few mental scars from when he had been imprisoned. I mean getting beaten, drugged, interrogated, forced to confess, and whatever else has to leave its mark. It's not much now, but I'm planning on having it play more in the later chapters, at least to a point. I've also have a new Persona lined up for him. I mean he's getting new relationships, of course a new one is going to pop up. Now which is it? I let you all guess. It's a well-known an entity from history I'll leave it at that.

It's also becoming much more difficult to juggle so many voices at once what with there being literally 10+ characters in a single room. Making sure each get enough screen time is difficult, as well as being organic for that matter. You also have to make sure you don't forget anyone as well. I hope I'm doing a good job on that front, but I'd like to hear what you all think so far on how I'm handling it.

Alongside that, if you have any other complaints or critique you'd like to give, I'd love to hear it, as it's the only way I can improve. Thanks again for reading, and I hope that whatever's happening I was able to at least give you something worth your time and entertain you. Next time the battle between Personas and Magic will really unfold for the first time in this story.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to play Metal Gear Rising with the Pepsiman Mod.


	8. Chapter 8: Only a Friendly Spar

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Only a Friendly Spar**

Joker had to admit he was impressed. Not that it was hard to be impressed by advanced alien technology, but he didn't expect this. After he and Chrono entered what was ostensibly the training room, the area went dark before the landscape changed around them, being replaced by sky and earth. Within a matter of seconds, he appeared to be standing in an open field with blue sky above. Instantly, He could feel wind billowing through his hair and coat, his cheeks warm at the touch of sunlight, and when he took a step forward, the familiar crinkle of grass entered his ears instead of the echoing of hard metal. Had he not known better, he would have sworn it wasn't a hologram but instead teleportation.

"Joker, can you hear me?" He heard Lindy call from over the comms.

"So how much for one of these anyways?" He plucked a blade of grass and began to run it through his fingers. The way it bent and shifted in his hand was no different to the real thing. He kept his eyes moving around though, lest his opponent get the drop on him. Only… something caught the corner of his eye as he perused his surroundings.

"More than you could probably afford; More than even I could afford," Lindy bluntly told him. "There's still time to back out you know? We don't want you getting hurt."

"I just have to prove to you guys that I can control the seed, right?" Lindy internally noted how her question had been ignored. With a sigh, she chalked it up to youthful bravado and silently took a sideways glance to make sure the medial team was ready at any moment. "If it's just that, then this'll be easy."

"You tell them, Joker!" Oracle cheered from behind. While Joker was taken to the Training room, the others were currently watching from the command deck.

"Oracle do what you were told," Joker said as he made his way over to the thing he saw just then. Lindy wondered why he suddenly just stopped in his tracks but paid no attention to it.

"Sheesh, I know, I know! Ooh what's that?" Without warning, she ran off to bother one of the officers nearby.

"Amy, keep her company," Lindy commanded the poor woman currently being assailed by the former NEET.

"Ye-yes ma'am…" Lindy ignored the clear fear in her officer's eyes. Oracle was only a teenager. What was the worst she could do? Of course, it was worrying that her fingers moved like a lecherous old man's, but certainly such excitement was expected of those who had never seen such advanced (by their standards) technology before.

"So, if Joker can prove to you that he's in control, you'll let him keep the seed for now, correct?" Makoto asked just to be sure. She still had her reservations on the whole thing. A part of her wanted to trust the, apparent, authority in charge if it was possible.

"I am a woman of my word, Queen. Rest assured that if he does not present a danger with that seed, we will not unnecessarily pursue him."

"I see. But you will have to at some point."

"Yes. Even if he can control it perfectly, once this incident has passed, we will still have to extract it from him and contain it according to TSAB procedure."

"But we just got these powers back…" Ryuji complained after overhearing Makoto and Lindy's discussion.

"I know it sucks, but we already gave 'em up once. We can do it again." Panther gently pat Skull's back, both to comfort him and herself on the idea.

"If there are no more interruptions," Lindy glanced around the room, the only notable noise remaining from Amy being assaulted by Oracle, "The I believe we should get started as soon as possible. Are you ready Chrono?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Chrono said over the comms. Given that he could only hear him through it, it meant that he was nowhere close by. Not that that mattered at the moment.

"How about you Joker?" She didn't hear anything from his end. "Joker?"

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

"Getting right back into the swing of things I see?" After receiving her fee, she then sent over the requested Persona right to him.

"I'd love to stay and chat Lavenza, but I'm on a tight schedule." Joker mentally went through the change in roster making sure everything was in order as he needed it to be. He'd just finished a strengthening session and readjustment of his team to meet anything Chrono could throw at him while at the same time meeting his objective. As he double checked his Persona, he looked about the room with nostalgia. It hadn't changed in the slightest since he'd seen it last, only that the door to his cell was still left completely open.

"I suppose that it cannot be helped. I hoped that our meeting once again would have been a longer affair. Alas, I will just have to wait until next time. Promise me that you won't be long?"

"Yeah, I promise," Joker said as he pat the head of the velvet room attendant. Lavenza didn't know whether to feel elated or indignant but decided to enjoy it all the same, squeezing the grimoire against herself in delight. "But before I go why am I seeing doors to the Velvet Room again?" This time he directed his question not only towards Lavenza, but also the one sitting at the center of the room, Igor. The real Igor. Yaldabaoth was really spot on when it came to mimicking the room's master. Even now Joker was nervous that at any moment, the voice that would come out of the body would pitch downwards.

"This room is open only to those who have made a contract of some kind. Do you not recall having made one not so long ago?" Igor both answered and questioned. Had he made such a contract? It was fuzzy, but he felt like he vaguely made something like a contract just recently. But with whom? It couldn't be…

"Perhaps your memory requires a bit of refreshment? The person to who you are contracted to is in the cell next to yours." There was someone else in here? He couldn't tell at all. The room was built in a similar manner as a panopticon, most pertinently meaning in his case, that the cellmates couldn't see each other because of the design. "Oh, but I suppose such a thing must be left until next time. You are being called once again." Before he could ask what Igor meant, he seemed to hear something way off into the distance. He recognized the voice that echoed from far away. The moment he began to recall who's voice it was, without any warning, the room receded far into the distance.

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

"Joker are you alright?" He heard Lindy ask over the comms. He did a quick glance from side to side. He'd returned to the real world; An ironic statement given where he currently was.

"I'm fine, I'm ready to begin whenever." He made a mental note to return to the Velvet Room as soon as possible. For now, he had more pressing matters to attend to, a fight to engage in.

"If you're sure… I've received confirmation from both parties. The battle will begin in t-minus 20 seconds," Lindy declared. A giant set of numbers appeared in the sky and began to count down.

"Where's Spikes?" Joker asked as he looked around to try and find the kid, but to no avail. He wasn't anywhere in sight. That probably meant only one thing…

"Where indeed, t-minus 10." Joker prepped himself, looking up into the sky as he readied his gun. "…4…3…2...1…Go!"

At the same time the buzzer went off, a column of white light illuminated the sky, dimming the rest of the world as it flew right towards Joker. He only had a moment to react. He jumped out of the way, trying to escape the predicted blast zone. As he tumbled on the ground, he heard the spell colliding with the ground, the dirt and stone crashing behind him as it fell back to the earth after having been so violently upheaved from its spot. Once the sound had died, he turned back to find a smoldering crater where he once stood not a few moments ago. As the smoke began to disperse, he could see Chrono floating just overhead.

"I'm surprised you dodged that." It was clear, thanks to the condescending tone in Chrono's voice, that Joker was being looked down on, both literally and figuratively. Alongside the attitude, Chrono's guard was down, his staff limply hanging at his side. Joker was annoyed that this kid was apparently so confident that he couldn't do anything to him, sitting right in plain sight. Regardless, he wasn't about to let his chance slip up. Take every advantage he could, that was how he fought.

"Pixie! Agi!" Joker summoned forth his Persona before all the smoke had gone away. A ball of fire exploded near to where Chrono was floating. Despite his seemingly lax attitude however, Chrono immediate put up a magic shield to block the impact. Undeterred, Joker continued. "Bufu!" This time a ball of ice formed near the flying mage before exploding into tiny shards. Chrono continued to defend as Joker's assault went on. "Garu! Zio!" Spell after spell, Joker kept throwing them one after the other, and Chrono blocked them one after the other. The loop seemed infinite as the two kept going back and forth on it. From the outside it looked like a stalemate.

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

"The hell!? He's just throwing out the weak stuff!" Skull had become frustrated at what he was seeing from the command center. "Why hasn't he just busted out the big guns and called it a day? He could totally mop this kid up like 3 turns tops!" On the screen, Joker simply continued to use Pixie to fire off the most basic elemental spells as Chrono either dodged or blocked them. He wasn't even using the second tier of magic, let alone third or fourth. Hell, Joker's strongest attacks were physical based.

"Maybe he's up to something or being cautious? Joker's usually got a plan, and he might be just trying to probe Chrono and see what he's capable of. After all, we don't know anything about the battle prowess of the TSAB and its agents, so it might be a wise choice to play it safe." Noir was also confused by the display. Joker was much stronger than this, to which all of the Phantoms Thieves here could attest to. Regardless, though confused, none were worried. They all felt confident that Joker would come out on top.

"I see, so this isn't his real strength then?" Lindy muttered under her breath, having overheard their conversation. Despite her attitude from before, she was keenly paying attention to the battle. She was surprised to see him so deftly react to, and dodge, Chrono's opening strike. Granted it was something any decent battle mage could dodge. It would appear she underestimated this Joker.

"Amy can yo-"

"No stop! Don't touch that!"

"Ooh, I see. So that's what that does." Lindy couldn't help but sigh, watching her mistake unfold. Amy gave her superior officer a tearful, silent plea, but all Lindy could do was return an apologetic expression as the captain returned to watching the rest of the spar take place.

"What else are going to show us, Joker?" Lindy whispered as she carefully watched the proceedings. She eyed Joker closely, wanting to scrutinize every movement, if something happened she wanted to catch it at the exact moment it occurred.

"By the way is it just me or is that Pixie a bit stronger than usual?" Noir became nervous when the other thieves looked at her dumbfounded. Was it something she said? She just didn't remember Pixie being that strong is all.

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

Chrono had to do something. He'd been pinned down for far too long. His opponent decided to forgo quality in exchange for quantity, the bombardment of spell after spell left him on the defensive ever since he'd come into range. If this continued, eventually his shield would break, and he'd start receiving the full brunt of the assault. It was tactically sound, but only if Joker could keep it up.

"Got you!" Chrono's ears rang as the collective sound of a gunshot and his shield breaking echoed all at the same time. His gaze quickly shifted downwards to see Joker with a gun aimed right at him. Chrono then realized the point of the initial rain of spells, it was to condition him and keep him stationary so that he could be more easily aimed at. Regardless, he was defenseless. Though it wasn't how he wanted it, he began flying towards Joker. If he could no longer block the attacks, then he simply had to move in. He could have summoned up another shield, but what difference would it have made? He'd noticed that Joker's primary weapons were a handgun and knife. His staff would outrange him in close quarters, and if he needed that much work to aim the gun, then he would be safe if he continued to pressure the Phantom Thief. Flying in a zig-zag pattern to dodge the still ongoing magic assault, Chrono closed in on Joker.

"Stinger Ray!" Five balls of light materialized around him before becoming streaks of light that flew in front of him and towards his opponent. Joker stopped his attacks to dodge the return fire, each spell moved past him and out of sight. Though he dodged each one, this gave Chrono the chance he needed. In no time at all, Chrono got within range, swinging his staff right at Joker. Though he noticed Joker's mask flare for a moment, he paid it no mind as there didn't seem to be any attack coming his way.

"Woah there Spikes!" Joker nonchalantly danced between each swing Chrono threw at him. That wasn't to say that Chrono was simply flailing at him. To be sure the boy's strikes were certainly well trained and practiced. If he wasn't careful, Joker's head would have certainly become well acquainted with the magic implement at a fairly worrying speed. "Not bad…" A loud clang reached both combatant's ears as Joker's Knife collided with an incoming strike by Chrono. "A staff does outrange a knife, but my limbs-" Chrono could only register that he was heaving for some reason, and that somehow, he'd been knocked away. As he caught his breath he realized that Joker's foot was up and returning to the ground. It wasn't difficult to surmise that the boy had been kicked right in the stomach. "Well age does wonders…"

"You won't have that advantage forever," Chrono said, trying to maintain himself. He knew what this was. He was being taunted. He had to talk back so as not to be mentally compromised. He wanted to make sure not to fall to such petty provocations. "Not that it matters now."

"You're right, it do-" Chrono's instinct flared, pushing him to whip his staff behind himself. The encore of metal meeting metal told him he was just in time as Joker's knife pushed against his staff, this time sparks flying left and right as the two grinded against one another. Chrono felt, for lack for lack a better word, cheated. Joker was intentionally starting to speak and then interrupting himself in an attempt to catch the officer off guard. Clever, but dirty. "Huh, not bad." He meant it, the Thief expected to make a clean hit with that one. He didn't let it show on his face, instead opting to try and be as condescending as possible as retribution for the earlier tone.

"Then let me show you a good one this time!" Chrono pushed the man off, semi-launching him into the air. With a fanciful twirl, Joker reoriented himself, aiming his gun at Chrono. As Chrono thought however, Joker took some time to aim, trying to steady himself and get the best shot, time he wouldn't let slip by unchallenged. "Got you!" Chrono fired a Stinger Ray at the currently mid-air Joker. Without any footing or flight capability, it was like shooting fish in a barrel.

"Tch…" Joker let out as he twisted his body around the shots as best he could. One by one, he managed to slip by each shot. Chrono was surprised but didn't let it show as he saw another shot fly towards its target. "Ugh!" Joker felt something impact his back, knocking him out of the air and sending him tumbling onto the ground. Landing with an ukemi to soften the impact, he quickly got back up to continue. Once he had his footing back, he turned around to see what hit him. He could still see the set that the kid fired earlier… except flying towards him was a different set of shots, ones that were bending around. Not long after, the set fired by the kid was also beginning to bend. "Playing the long game, I see." Homing shots, that's what Joker concluded; wide turning homing shots.

"So long as it's by the rules, I'll play almost any game necessary." Chrono prepped another round of shots, to fire at Joker. From the looks of the extra magical circle he saw as the Chrono's spell was completed, Joker deduced that perhaps there was something extra about these shots. "What, nothing to say?" Instead of replying verbally, Joker instead opted to just smugly present to Chrono a 'I got nothin'' expression, with hands upturned. Chrono's brow creased as he saw his previously fired spell still barreling towards Joker from behind him, with said man doing seemingly nothing in response.

As the spells closed in, closer and closer, at the last moment, Joker jumped. Unfortunately, due to the spell's large turning radius, it wasn't able to catch him as he ascended over the spells. Big mistake, Chrono thought. He fired started aiming at Joker while at the same time sending a command to the currently flying spell to pass by him. He would make this volley fly towards the ground far behind him to take them out of the action. He didn't need them, since after this, it was over. At least that was what he thought.

As the spells reached to Chrono's side to just barely avoid him, he heard a large bang as something caused one of the spells to explode suddenly. Then the one at the other side of him that was supposed to reach past him also exploded, then another, then another. The explosions, one after the other, caused him to lose control of his other set up shots. They too exploded around Chrono in one final spectacular display of shimmering bright light that consumed his visage.

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

"Chrono!" Lindy screamed as she saw the boy disappear from the feed into a pillar of light of his own doing.

"His vitals are fine ma'am. The Barrier Jacket took the brunt of it," said one of the other officers as Amy was still being assaulted by a little orange NEET Gremlin. A huge sigh of relief passed Lindy's lips upon hearing the report.

"To think he deliberately feigned weakness in his shooting prowess to trick Chrono into not taking one of his options seriously." While Chrono might not have noticed what had happened, there in the command deck, Lindy and the others had seen Joker perform a quick draw with his gun, and in rapid succession, fire at each Stinger Ray just as it was about to pass by Chrono. It was a frightening display of prowess. Not only were the shots dead on, they were also timed perfectly for when each bolt of magic was closest to Chrono. Coupled with the awkward firing position and speed that each shot was made at, to the point where sometimes it sounded like he only fired one shot when two or more bolts exploded at once, Joker was certainly proving, at least skill-wise, why he was the leader. Lindy had to admit being impressed by such a cunning tactic and good timing.

"Amazing…" Lindy heard Nanoha say. The young girl was absolutely mesmerized by the scene before her. While Joker's friends were currently, as they say, whooping it up, Nanoha was silently admiring Joker as he seemingly danced on the battlefield.

"He fired at each bolt of Stinger Ray so quickly…" Yuuno stated out loud. "Was he always that good?" So, he kept his cards close to his chest? Lindy felt that an old saying her late husband once told her fit the situation. 'A talented hawk hides its talons.'

"Can I be that strong?" Nanoha asked no one in particular as she kept her eyes trained on the screen in front. Ever since the battle started, Nanoha had kept silent. She, even more than Lindy, paid rapt attention to every moment, seemingly absorbing every captured frame. Her face practically lit up every time Joker or Chrono did something, though more so when it was the Thief. If she were that strong, she began to think, I could protect everyone.

"Perhaps one day you will be," Lindy answered Nanoha's question. "However, the battle isn't over yet," she also pointed out as the smoke from where Chrono had been started to disperse. She realized she couldn't tell what was going to happen next anymore.

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

"Physical Heal!" Joker heard from within the now almost dispersed smoke. Not long after, Chrono stood in the crater with his staff raised in the air, seemingly no worse for wear. Suffice to say, the kid looked angry. "So, you aren't a poor shot, just a poor actor…"

"Hey if you think my acting's bad then you should… never mind." He was about to call out one of his teammate's poor acting abilities but stopped before fully making the comment in fear of retaliation. "Anyways, you okay Spikes? Still good to go? Most people that turn into a laser light show usually like to take a breather."

"I'll be fine, heck, if that's the worst you got, then maybe you should call it quits. I can still go all day." Chrono flourished his staff around until it was pointed squarely on Joker. A little chortle escaped Joker's mouth as his mask flashed again.

"Look at you! Maybe I should stop calling you Spikes and start calling you Big Man!"

"I don't mind that one. Call me that after I beat you."

"Well at least we know you have a big ego." Joker readied himself once more as he spoke, to match him, Chrono also placed himself into battle stance. He needed to be ready for whatever tricks the man still had up his sleeve.

"Look who's talking."

"I know I look good but try not to stare. It's rude." Before Chrono could say anything back, particularly when it came personal grooming, Joker rushed forward. "Pixie, Agi!" Just like before, Joker was pelting Chrono with spells again. This time however, he wouldn't make the same mistake.

"Round Shield!" Putting up his shield, he then rushed forward to meet Joker head on, blocking all the spells being fired his way. Joker, seeing the oncoming mage, instead of stopping, turned to run to the side while still keeping up the assault. "You're not getting away!" Chrono took to the sky. With a burst of speed, he flew in front of Joker, and collided with him with the shield still up.

"Guh!" Joker brought his hands up before impact, but it still managed to knock him quite a ways away through the air. He wasn't hurt by the impact, but certainly he could still be moved. Before he could jump back into the fray, Chrono was already flying in.

"RRAH!" Chrono, with shield still being maintained in one hand, swung his staff with the other, pushing Joker even further back. The Thief was losing ground, and if the kid's been trained by a military, it probably meant something. Bringing out his knife again, he blocked the next strike.

"Nice try!" The two weapons collided with one another, clashing once again. "Bu-"

"I'm done talking!" True to his word, Chrono said not a word more as he tried to press his staff against Joker's knife, trying to break through the man's guard. Joker's eyes widened when he realized that Chrono's staff was beginning to accumulate magic. He didn't know what it was, but He felt he had to act fast. "RRRAAAAAHHHHH- huh?" Without warning, Joker's head came in fast and straight at Chrono's. "ARRGH!" Chrono's sight filled with blinking stars, and his skull throbbed from the sudden impact.

"Listen to your elders Spikes. Granted I forgot what I was going to say, but you should really learn some manners," Joker said as he began to shake his knife hand thanks to it going slightly numb from the prior clash. Alongside that, his mask flashed again. In order gather himself, Chrono began to fly backwards at a moderate pace. He needed space until he could get his bearings back after just getting headbutted. "On another note, I feel it's time to end this little game. I've seen all I've needed to see. Alice! Concentrate!"

"What do you-" Chrono's question as interrupted as a little girl in a purple dress suddenly appeared, only to twirl around once, give the air a little poke, and disappear. Chrono then felt a sudden swell of magic spring forth from Joker. The sudden spike in energy caused him to pause. He didn't know what Joker just did but suddenly his magic power was at least twice as much, if not a bit more. "I won't let you!"

"Debilitate!" The little girl appeared again, this time 3 orbs of varying colors materialized above and began to home in on him. Though he put a shield against it, the orbs passed by without any resistance. Confused, he looked back at Joker and the girl, only to see the girl laughing at him.

"Why you!" He began to fly back towards Joker as the little girl disappeared after performing the non-attack as it were, except "Huh?" Did he always fly this slowly?

"Too slow spikes!" Joker's mask flashed again. "This is it! Pixie! Megidolaon!"

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

White, that was all the command deck could see as the ship rocked from the spell. Despite the magic insulation that was supposed to smother any and all spells that would be unleashed from within, the spell Joker unleashed was somehow able to get through despite the many layers of protection that was supposed to prevent just this situation.

"WHAT THE HELL! IS HE TRYING TO KILL US!?" Panther yelled as she held on for dear life on one of the railings alongside all the others on board. The entire ship was shaking, and everyone was in panic. Joker's spell was threatening the safety of everyone on board.

"JOKER WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Mona was next to ask, cowering on the ground with his head in his stubby arms.

"HEY WHAT DOES THIS COMMAND DO!?"

"WHAT'S THE MAGICAL READING ON THE SPELL!? IS IT THE JEWEL SEED!?" Lindy yelled, trying to be heard above the other voices as well as the sound of the spell that could be heard even from within the training room.

"NEGATIVE! JEWEL SEED'S OUTPUT HAS NOT CHANGED! THIS IS SOLELY HIS POWER!" This frightening ability was his own? This was an incredible amount of energy that easily could have been explained by a Lost Logia, and it was his own power? What was he, and for that matter, what were the rest of them? Were they also just as powerful as him? She had to shelve these thoughts for now given the circumstances.

"STABILIZE THE SHIP AND DIVERT POWER TO THE MAGIC BARRIERS IN THE TRAINING ROOM! NOW! ONCE THE SPELL ENDS I WANT A FULL REPORT!"

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

Only after the place started rocking did Joker kind of regret his decision. Megidolaon was so bright that it had blackened the world around him as it tore into the ground. That ground being part of the ship he was on in the middle of something that was pretty much space. He internally scolded himself for having forgotten where he was just because he was currently in a really realistic hologram. He really should have gone for a smaller spell. Maybe just a Megidola would have sufficed. Maybe he shouldn't have used Concentrate… Well it was too late for that now. He was only lucky he had not gone all the way with Pixie and to make her into a powerhouse when he was in the Velvet Room. Just as he was contemplating that he should have done literally almost any other spell, the spell he did fire started to die down.

In no time at all, the spell disappeared, leaving only a crater. He'd intended only to graze Chrono with the spell, so he was not surprised to see the boy only at the edge of the impact zone. His barrier jacket had torn in many places, his spikes were gone, and his staff was cracked in a few places. His outstretched hand indicated that he most likely did have a shield up at some point, but its absence showed just how useful that had been. Well the ship they were in was still up and running. Joker began to mentally brace himself for the big reprimanding he was most likely in store for when this was over. Speaking of which-

"Ready to call it quits kid?" Joker's brow creased when he heard no response. "Kid? Come on I only meant to graze you!" Just as he was about to move-

"Delayed Bind!" At Joker's feet, a magic circle lit up and sent chains to and fro around Joker's body. Starting with his feet, his entire body soon became ensnared. He'd let his guard down.

"What the-"

"Physical Heal!" It wasn't enough to heal all the damage, but it was going to be enough. " I was so caught off guard by your sudden power that I forgot I had set that up earlier."

"Ah, clever… so that's what that extra magic circle was…" Joker recalled as he remembered it from when Chrono set up a second volley of his magic spell. "How careless of me…"

"Yeah, as you said. I like to play the long game." Chrono was exhausted. Had that spell earlier been a direct hit, he surely would have died. Not knocked out, not unconscious, but dead. It would have pierced straight through any defense he had without mercy. Too bad Chrono was out of mercy himself. "Now it's the end." Joker felt a swell of magic emanate from Chrono's position. He had to admit that he was impressed that the kid was still going despite tanking a Concentrated Megidolaon. Granted not point blank, but still Joker wanted to give his respects. Or he would after getting out of this. Struggle as he did, he couldn't find a way out of the binding.

"Come on!" He told himself as he continued to struggle. "There's got to be a way out…" Joker continued to struggle through the binding. There was no telling what spell Chrono was trying to use, and given the long casting time, it was probably a doozy… only he realized that it was getting colder. His mask flashed again as he stopped trying to escape.

"What's wrong, giving up?" Chrono asked, as he continued to gather energy for the spell. The binding seemed to be holding. He wasn't necessarily ready to cast this, but it was the only way he could guarantee a win.

"Nah, I'm still in this, but I have to ask, are you trying to cast an ice spell?"

"Somewhat…" Chrono answered. He was suspicious as to why he was asked

"Then I have nothing to worry about." Chrono glared at Joker as he heard his reply. Nevertheless, it would appear that this battle was his. His magic was beginning to peak, the spell was just about ready.

"If you nothing else to say then… Permafrost, construct a frozen coffin and deliver eternal sleep unto this beast. ETERNAL COFFIN!" Ice formed around Joker, seemingly crawling from nothing as it grew outwards. The ice kept growing and growing and growing until it finally stopped. Then all was still. Sitting where Joker once stood was a massive outgrowth of ice. Tendrils of ice attached to a single center where Joker lay within. Then without warning, it shattered in a cold explosion of magic, the ice began to fall to the ground in droves and pieces. Chrono closed his eyes in exhaustion, falling to his arms and knees. He couldn't feel a thing in his body. He struggled for breath, wheezing with each pass of air that made its way through his lungs. He'd given everything for that final attack. He'd done it. It was over. He'd won… or so he thought.

Clapping. He heard clapping. His head snapped up. Joker stood there, not even worse for wear and give him slow applause. In fact, he looked better than ever. He looked completely rejuvenated, as if he hadn't even battled at all in the slightest. The only thing that indicated that he was battling him just earlier were the chains that were still around his body. Chrono's eyes wandered to the creature standing next to Joker. It was some sort of black creature. On closer inspection, it was made of black snow. From its feet, to its arms, its face, and even its rotund belly, were all made of a glistening black snow. It's purple two tipped hat and red eyes shook incessantly as it seemed to laugh at Chrono, as if mocking his strongest spell that he spent the better half of the past few years trying to learn. Even though his body was weak, his hands still balled into fists, shaking with anger.

"You're just full of surprises. I suppose that's to be expected of an officer of something like the TSAB." Joker stopped his applause as his Persona disappeared. His mask flashed again. "Ishtar! Amrita…" A soft, white light rose up from Joker's body. However, it seemed to do nothing. "Huh… then… Dekunda!" This time, an orange bubble appeared around Joker before popping out of existence, notable the chains also disappeared as well. "There we go. I'll keep that in mind for next time." His mask flashed once more. Only now did Chrono connect the dots that the flash of his mask indicate that he was switching familiars, or whatever those things were. "Tell you what kid, let me show you my own ice spell. Something that will really freeze your socks off," he heard Joker say as he stopped in place, only about 10-15 meters away.

"…" Chrono wanted to say something in response, but he was too tired to make even the slightest of sounds, all he could manage was an icy glare towards his opponent.

"Ready? Here it comes! Black Frost!" With a flare of blue flames, the rotund black snowman appeared again. "Diamond Dust!" In front of Chrono's eyes, a ball of cold air began to condense in front him. Spinning faster and faster, he could his skin nip from the freezing wind emanating from the spell. Once the orb had become pure white, it suddenly became replaced by what looked to be an ever-growing formation of snowflake like ice structures, growing towards him. As it closed in on him at an alarming speed, he shut his eyes right before it was supposed to him. Except, nothing had happened. He didn't feel the sting of ice rip through him face first. He didn't feel anything other than the ground beneath him and his staff in hand.

"Huh?" Opening his eyes, Chrono found that the ice had stopped just before him, that Joker held his attack back from hitting him… again.

"Shows Over," Joker said as he began to walk towards Chrono, the ice shattering and sublimating into the ether as he closed in, his mask flashing blue on the way. "Ishtar, Salvation!" Similar to the white light that had engulfed the Thief earlier, Chrono found himself in the center of an identical spell.

"I… I feel better?" Chrono felt his strength returning to him. His magic remained drained, but his physical strength and wounds were being restored. Once he was fully healed, he got off the ground to look square at Joker.

"Not bad. Not bad at all Big Man. Still got a ways to go far as I'm concerned, but for a kid, you sure can hit hard, and hit smart." Joker tried to make his satisfaction with his opponent clear. It wasn't like he underestimated Chrono due to his age or anything of the sort. Far from it as his memories fighting the twins would attest. However, he didn't expect getting thrown for even the tiniest loop like that at all. Maybe in a few more years Chrono would be able to actually put a fight against him. Maybe could withstand a Hassou Tobi without Charge… or two… or one and a half.

"You were holding back…" Chrono semi-asked, semi-stated.

"The point of this spar wasn't for me to win," Joker dismissed. "It was to prove I'm in control of the Jewel Seed. Though admittedly I still wanted to win."

"I see. So, the constant use of small spells, the display with the large area of effect attack, and then stopping a different spell altogether, and then this healing spell, it's all just to show the breadth and level of control you have over yours and the Jewel Seed's power."

"Bingo! Lindy-san tell the kid what he's won!" Joker had expected a delay in response, but not this delayed. Several seconds had passed and he had been only met with radio silence. "Lindy-san? Hello?"

"Hello? That's all you have to say?" Lindy finally appeared in an image in front of the two of them. "You two get back here this instance, right now!" The two of them stood ramrod straight. Though Joker had prepared for such an outcome, he still didn't expect it at this specific point and time.

"Yes ma'am" The both of them said simultaneously.

"I said get back here right now!"

 **-0-0-8-0-0-**

"Do the two of you understand? What both of you did endangered the lives of everyone on board. You're lucky that were monitoring the entire thing and were able to redirect power to suppressing your spells, else it might have ended up far worse. Do you two understand me?"

"Yes ma'am," Joker couldn't help but respond. He and Chrono had been forced to sit in seiza for the entire duration of the reprimanding. Though while he answered, Chrono hadn't said a word.

"Chrono, Mommy is waiting for an answer."

"Yes… Mom."

"The Captain's your Mom? Holy crap isn't that like supemghghghghg!" Queen cupped her hand around Oracle's mouth before she could say anything more. Though she continued to struggle, a single glance by Lindy immediately pacified anything else the navigator was trying to say.

"Then please keep that mind for next time… Chrono, we'll be speaking more later however about your reckless use of that spell."

"Yes… mom…" Clear dread practically dripped as freely as the sweat on Chrono's brow.

"Well then without further ado," Lindy began, dismissing the two from her now three-hour long lecture. "Now both of you stand up so that we can get onto the matters at hand. First off, I must say Joker." His ears pricked up from hearing his name being called as he rose from the ground, steadily so in order avoid falling thanks to prickly feet. "You're very powerful, easily at least S class, and I assume that your friends are on a similar level." Joker only gave a simple nod, let her interpret whatever that meant. "I see. Well then, Officer Amy Limietta, can you deliver your report on the status of the Jewel Seed during the bout?" She asked half already knowing, half wanting everyone in the room to be privy to the results.

"Yes ma'am," Amy, who looked no older than 14 with short brunette hair, coughed into her hands as soon as she stood out of her seat. "When analyzed during the fight, the Jewel Seed showed zero fluctuations in its output, only providing a steady, but unknown, energy field. We are still determining the exact nature of this field as it does not match anything in our records. However initial analysis concludes that it currently does not appear to be hazardous and does not pose a threat to the safety of anyone within it. We theorize this field only serves as a catalyst for subject Joker's unique magic and abilities. Conclusion, the Jewel Seed is currently stable and continues to be so despite any happenings on the part of its current holder and the only function it serves at present does not require the usual vast energy Lost Logia are known for." So, nothing the Thieves hadn't already determined.

"Thank you, Amy, you may be seated." With a bow Amy returned to her seat, but remained attentive of the situation at hand, similarly to the other crew members. "So, as you can probably tell, Joker, I've decided that for the time being, you may hold onto the Jewel Seed." An audible sigh escaped from various members of his team. It seems a few of them were still worried that either she wouldn't keep her word, or that she would have determined he couldn't keep the seed regardless.

"A relief to hear as such," Fox was first to say, to which the others nodded in agreement.

"I did say I was a woman of my word after all." Lindy let off her usual smile to assure the Thieves of her decision. "However, we will still have to extract the Jewel Seed from your body once this incident has passed."

"I'm fine with that," Joker replied without much hesitation, to Lindy's surprise. After all, she'd just seen him fight so hard to not lose such power, now all of a sudden, he was fine with it being taken away. "I just don't want to be powerless to help while the problem is still ongoing. After that, I'm fine with it being taken," He clarified once he noticed Lindy's confusion. She couldn't help but giggle just a bit.

"I see. Well I wished to ask you all later when you had time to think on it more, but I suppose now is as good a time as any. Nanoha-chan, Yuuno-kun?"

"Yes?" The two of them answered simultaneously. Both of them stood ramrod straight as they were addressed.

"And you Phantom Thieves of Heart, how would you all like to work together to solve this occurrence in an official capacity with the TSAB?"

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

This time the chapter was mainly focused on just the fight. Next time will be slower and more contemplative. Hearing some stuff, I've decided to try and partition the groups more in order to get more cohesive and focused conversations overall. I'm also seeing if I can add more to the pacing as well as the descriptions, but at the same time, get too descriptive and it bogs the pace down too much, so I obviously don't want to go too far in either way. My writing style also currently does not fit long descriptions at this point seeing as I'm trying to take cues from good young adult novels currently. I'm trying to get a better writing schedule overall currently.

As of right now, I've literally just seen the PQ2 trailer and I'm doing everything in my power not to push the damn thing in people's faces. I'm a fan of both the Persona series and Etrian Odyssey. I kind of love 1st person dungeon crawlers a bit too much so yeah it's pretty tough right now trying not to just insert everything I've analyzed thus far from the trailer. Though I will note that Akechi does show up in the trailer at around 0:34 mark, so that means this is before the Sae heist. And the battle system appears to still be using the Sub-Persona system. That's all I'll say on that front because I'm still looking over every frame. Though I do want to add that a theme based around Cinema, related to acting, related to being something you're not, is interesting and I want to see where they go with this.

If this AN appears jumbled this time, that's because it is. I'm pretty busy right now, but still trying to make what time I can for writing, as I love the process and hearing from you guys on what you think. Speaking of which, again, thank you for reading, and those of you taking the time to give your honest critique and thoughts. It's all part of the process and while I might not necessarily love every minute of the criticism, it does help. Once more, please tell me what you thought in a review, every little bit helps.

Thank you so much for your time, I hope you enjoyed yourself, and have a wonderful day.


	9. Chapter 9: Deals with the Devil

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Deals with the Devil**

"Think it over, huh?" Ren repeated what Lindy asked of him earlier that day. He and the rest of the gang were back on Haru's yacht, in their civilian clothes. Nanoha and Yuuno had gone back to her own home, saying that she wanted to talk to her parents about something. They said their goodbyes, planned to meet a little later, and then headed off.

He looked out into the black sea as he leaned against the railing. Night had already fallen and Uminari, for all its size, was still a very quiet city. The only thing that he could hear was the creaking of the ship as the waves ebbed and flowed against it. He was alone. After an event akin to First Contact, he thought everyone needed a bit of a break to recoup so he ordered them to just kill some time until they were to meet and discuss what to do.

He forgot what it was like to be truly alone. For the past year and then some, he'd always been accompanied by someone. Whether that was Morgana or whoever else, he'd never actually just simply been by himself. Even when he'd come back to Uminari, Morgana was there by his side and it wasn't like he couldn't talk to his friends either. Whether it was the thieves or some of his other friends, he'd always talked to someone. It'd been a while since he'd heard true silence. Looking at the lights in the rest of the yacht, he wondered what everyone else was doing right now.

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"Argh, you're kidding!" Ryuji fell onto his back, frustrated at having lost. He groaned as he hit the floor, kicking up cards as he made impact. Luckily the three of them, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Morgana, were all sitting on the floor of the room assigned to the guys, so it wasn't a precarious fall; more a comical one.

"I mean what did you expect? You're like an open book and that makes you easy to beat, whether that's cards or battle," Mona said, still in his Mementos form. "You're lucky you wear a mask when we're fighting."

"You sure this is the first time you've played?" Ryuji complained as he got back up.

"I mean it's not the first time I've seen it. I've seen you guys play this before, only now I have the hands to actually hold the cards," Mona explained as he licked himself clean.

"Did you always want to join us?" Yusuke asked as he picked up the cards that were scattered about; his matched pairs in neat piles, Mona's in haphazard but well partitioned piles, and Ryuji's now flung cards.

"N-no, just now that I have the chance, I thought it would be fun to try it just once."

"Right… well I'm not in the mood to play anymore anyways. Not that I was really in the mood to begin with…" Ryuji at least picked up the cards that he scattered, handing them to Yusuke.

"I suppose with a decision of sorts looming over us, it would be difficult to try and have fun in such a capacity," Yusuke admitted as he finished picking up the scattered cards and setting the deck aside on a nearby table so that no one could knock if over later. He'd be the one most likely to pick the cards up again in that circumstance. "I know we are going to decide later, however what do the two you think might be the best course of action?"

"I'll go with whatever Ren decides," Mona answered. "I mean it's not like either choice is bad. Neither are they without their downsides. If we accept, we'll get their resources and man power to take care of this as soon as possible."

"On the other hand, we cannot be sure that they are not hiding something beneath a veneer of decency. I'm sure all of us are aware of the dark depths such facades can hide." Yusuke's hands tightened together as he sat on the nearby bed. "We also aren't aware of the greater society of the TSAB at hand. They may very well be a tyranny disguising themselves with charity to those not fully understanding of their world."

"I get that but, honestly they didn't seem too bad… I mean, they had kids our age and younger on board. They didn't look like they were being forced to be there or anything like that. I mean sure maybe their child labor laws are different, but a mom working with her kid can't be all bad," Ryuji argued.

"Or perhaps it's just a ruse to make us work with them. After all, who's to say they won't just use the Jewel Seeds themselves after this is all over," Mona added as he put the finishing touches on his self-grooming.

"Right… and if that's the case then we as the Phantom Thieves can't let them get away with that." Ryuji brought his hands together, fist to palm.

"Of course, that's only if the TSAB really is a group of scoundrels," Yusuke pointed out. "We don't have any definitive proof that the TSAB are truly good or truly evil one way or the other."

"So, it seems we're at an impasse then…" Mona frowned as he said as such.

"Dammit! I miss when we had the app, then we could know for sure if the person we were dealing with was legit or not." Ryuji practically groaned out the words as he slumped forward in defeat.

"Ryuji, that wasn't exactly how the app worked," Morgana had to point out.

"I mean close enough, it told us that something was wrong with them at least! Now we're just going to have to dive in and hope for the best…" Ryuji groaned in frustration after clarifying his point. "I'm heading to the bathroom. I'll be right back." He got up and headed to the door. The Yacht didn't have bedrooms with dedicated bathrooms.

"Later, Ryuji."

"Be safe."

"Yusuke, it's just the bathroom. Anyways, Later." Ryuji shut the door on the way out, leaving the two behind. The room fell in to a natural silence.

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"Wait, you what!?" Ann, Makoto, and Ann screamed in unison. They along with Futaba were sitting around in the main salon, discussing how they were going to proceed, at least until Futaba casually mentioned what she was doing on the Arthra.

"Ren asked me to, and I was more than happy to oblige." Futaba continued to type away at her computer as she sat cross legged on the seat. "I mean given all the noise he was making in the training room, it was easy to hack my way in, especially when that Amy girl had all her passwords in a file right on her desktop. It wasn't even hidden in a folder or encrypted. Talk about sloppy, easy pickings."

"But, I mean how? Aren't there like language barriers? How did you even get their files? They can't have USBs or stuff," Ann asked, still just floored that this was even happening.

"Sent it to my email, then deleted the history of the system ever having done so. Their systems are pretty fast, so it didn't take long to zip and send. Also, programming languages are primarily in English anyways, so I already have experience needing to learn a different language. Though to be honest, Prometheus is making this easier for me," Futaba admitted. Even she couldn't, with her skills alone, hack into an alien system, especially a military one, despite her prior experience getting into such things on Earth. "I probably wouldn't have been able to make much headway without him."

"I suppose we probably shouldn't tell Lindy-san and her team. It would damage any possible relations if we were to mention to them." Makoto basically gave up at this point, seeing as Futaba had already begun making her way into the system and plundering anything she could find.

"So, when were you two going to tell us about this?" Haru asked before Makoto could.

"Well, Ren hasn't gotten back to me on it. He probably wants to bring it up with the whole group later when we're all together." The other girls accepted Futaba's explanation. It made a decent amount of sense that he would like to break the news when they were going to be discussing things.

"Well what have you found so far?"

"Well just a bunch of data, I'm still trying to slip past a couple of protections that Amy's clearance can't… You're kidding? No database injection protection? How incompetent can you get?"

"What?" Ann asked for the sake of everyone else in the room.

"No, just decided to try a stupid method to get in that somehow worked. Literally everything else was getting blocked but the simple, easy way, that should be one of the first things patched up… worked. So much for advanced alien tech. Poor security practices are universal I guess."

"Okay, but what does that mean practically? Are you in?" Haru asked.

"In their deepest systems yeah. It'll still take just a bit to find anything useful inside here, at least for us, but I've pretty much got free reign." Futaba cracked her knuckles as she readied herself to dive further into the Arthra's files.

"Well what have you found so far?" Makoto was curious if anything useful had already been uncovered. The deepest systems in the Arthra couldn't be the only place that housed information they could use.

"A lot of simple specs, personnel dossiers, payrolls, military protocol, history of their society, magic database, terminologies, and so on. Curiously enough also, a lot of Japanese anime in Lindy's personal systems… Pretty classic stuff too actually. Ooh! Majokko Tickle!"

"We could probably make use of some of the latter information," Ann noted. "Knowing what their history and military protocol is like could tell us how they'll act going forward. Not the anime though… how does she even have that?" Futaba only shrugged.

"Anime aside, it'd be useful in determining if we really do want to work with them. They might be able to lie to us, but I doubt they'd have the foresight to deliberately forge false information into their historical records, assuming it isn't just propaganda." Haru added. "History is a great determinant for the future after all. At least that's what I've learned when it comes to making business deals."

"Right you will have to do those in the future… Anyways Futaba, can you tell us the details later when everyone's together?" Makoto relaxed back into her seat, realizing that she'd gotten tense from the recent topic.

"Will do. I'll probably have more at that time anyways." Futaba continued to surf through the TSAB's systems, sifting through the info trying to find anything useful. Luckily it was at least well organized, but vast.

"Right, so as she's doing that," Makoto started, trying to steer the conversation elsewhere, "what do the rest of you think of Lindy's offer?"

"It doesn't seem too bad, but I'm worried that it might not be a good thing for Ren…" Ann answered with a worried look in her eye, glancing to the side as if trying to not think about it. "I mean we all saw how on edge he was on their ship."

"For the rest of us it might not be too difficult to work with them, but for Ren, who suffered the worst of it from an authority, it might be too big a hurdle to surmount," Haru also pouted a bit thinking about how the rest of the team couldn't do anything as their leader was being beaten a drugged by the police. It was necessary, and it was a risk he took on willingly, but it had left its mark. A mark the rest of the thieves saw earlier that day as much as he tried to hide it.

"I'd like to believe that Ren would be able to overcome this." Makoto's expression wasn't so much confident as it was knowing. "He's faced just about everything that life could throw at him. I think out of all of us, if there's anyone who can get through this, it's him."

"You're right, and besides, he has all of us with him too." Haru's mood lightened, remember that they were there to help him, no matter what.

"Don't forget Nanoha-chan," Ann reminded them.

"Right, how could we forget," Makoto jokingly reprimanded herself. They all couldn't help but share a smile between them as they remembered the bright little girl who helped start this. "Well we still have some time to kill, how about cards?"

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"And that's how it is…" Nanoha had just finished telling her mother what was going on. Out of her entire family, she felt that her mother was the only one she could reliably tell of her recent escapades. Her brother, father and Miyuki having gone out to train. Yuuno was upstairs, giving Raising Heart a once over to make sure nothing was wrong. During her explanation, she'd left out the more fantastical parts, and it was very difficult side stepping them. However, she felt that she did well enough in explaining the rough idea of the situation at hand. She still couldn't help but feel nervous though, as her mother had been silent the entire way through.

Nanoha also told her mother that she'd need to be away for a short while. It was agreed that if they were to work with Lindy, that she'd either have to stay with the crew of the Arthra, or with Ren and the others if they also agreed to work together. She'd already made up her mind. She'd use all the help she could get in order to save Fate and solve the incident. It would be nice if Ren also agreed to it, and she felt that he would, but she had already resolved herself to accept the offer. She still needed to hear what he mother had to say however.

"It might be dangerous, but I want to see what I started to the very end. I was afraid that it might worry you for me to go through with it though so…"

"I'm always worried about you. I'm your mother. I'll always be worried." her Mother finally spoke. Nanoha became downcast at hearing as such. "But you know, if you still looked troubled on what to do, I'd have told you to not do anything dangerous. Yet I think you've already decided on what to do haven't you?" Looking her mother in the eye, Nanoha nodded. "Then don't regret anything." Nanoha's mother got up from the couch, walked over to where Nanoha was sitting and began to pat her on the head. "I'll tell your dad and brother for you."

"Thank you, mom." Nanoha felt relieved. She had her mother, and by proxy, father and brother's approval to do what she needed to do. She could go forward knowing that she had their blessing. She wouldn't have to go to Ren and the others and tell them that she couldn't come and help. Now all she had to do was return to them and meet with Lindy.

"Now then," Nanoha's ears perked up when she heard her mother begin speaking once more. "You said Ren is a part of this as well correct?"

"Um… Yes, he is," she said a blush made its way across her face and she began to shift uncomfortably. "As I said he's been helping me and hopefully he'll still be around to help later…" She still didn't know if Ren and the others would accept the TSAB's offer. Hopefully they wouldn't reject it, and she felt they wouldn't. She still couldn't be sure of that though.

"I see." Nanoha did not like the look on her mother's face. It was the face her mother made when she was about to tease her. "I've seen the way that young man acts, and as such I approve of him. Your father and older brother might have their complaints, but rest assured I will support you."

"Mom!" Nanoha cried in embarrassment. How could her mother have seen through her?

"Now while there is an age difference that won't matter so much down the line. For now, just aim to provide a good impression and he'll surely remember it years from now. Or maybe perhaps you'd like to stake your claim right now? I think that would be a valid option. Perhaps it would be the better one. He's probably going to apply for University and might leave in the coming year, so it would probably do you well to capture him post haste."

"Mom! I'm fine!"

"I know, I know." She finally relented in her teasing when she saw her daughter tear up. "I just want you to know that if you don't do anything, you'll surely lose him." Nanoha had no retort for that. Her eyes widened when she realized that her mother was right on that account. "He's a fine young man, as expected of my daughter. Just make sure you don't regret anything regarding him either."

"Mom, I- thank you." she earnestly said to her mother. Though she hadn't expected to receive approval for that as well, she accepted it all the same.

"Of course, Nanoha… now how about some tips on how to win an older gentleman's heart before you leave?"

"Mom!"

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"Welcome back Nanoha-chan," Ann was the first to say as the ten-year-old walked into the main salon. Everyone had gathered here in order to finalize how they'd proceed with the TSAB.

"Sorry, we're late everyone," Yuuno said from atop Nanoha's shoulder.

"No problem, most of us just got here ourselves," Morgana said to his fellow animal buddy. Yuuno jumped down and proceeded to sit next to the cat.

"Thank goodness…" Nanoha murmured as she took a seat with the rest of the girls on one side of the room. The guys sat on the other end while Morgana and Yuuno shared a different seat at the end. Ren sat in his own chair, relaxed with his legs crossed.

"Hey Ren!" Futaba was still clacking away at her keyboard as she spoke up. "Should we go ahead and tell them now or later?"

"Tell us what now?" Ryuji asked nervously. The guys looked amongst themselves while the girls, sans Nanoha, instead turned towards Ren knowingly.

"Go ahead. We still have some time," Ren handed off the explanation to the one with the most information at the moment.

"Sure thing. So anyways I did as you asked and I've pretty much hacked into a majority of the Arthra's file systems."

"How did you do that!? The Arthra is a military ship from an alien world. You can't have touched the TSAB's systems prior to this, let alone even the language. How did you even interface with it?" Yuuno couldn't believe what he was hearing. Earth's technology should have been centuries behind, and it was apparently hacked so quickly by someone so young?

"Jeez do I have to repeat myself?" Futaba rolled her eyes. When it became clear that she wasn't bothering to continue, Ren took it upon himself to ask for clarification.

"For our sake, Futaba?" Ren asked as he surmised, based on the girl's reaction to all this, that they probably heard of this beforehand. There wasn't any harm done though, so he let it go.

"Okay…" With just a bit of fuss, Futaba repeated to the rest of them what she told the girls earlier. Yuuno simply remained bug-eye the whole time, just flabbergasted that this had happened; that it was even possible. "So yeah, I now pretty much have free reign over their database, but not to their operational systems like weapons or life support," she concluded.

"Did you find anything useful? Anything to give us a clue as to how they'd act?" Ren asked while the guys were currently processing what was happening and Nanoha pretended to understand.

"Well from their history, I guess they're on the up and up. Lots of wars in the past, but for the most part they do have things like Non-interference laws and the like."

"Any hints of it being propaganda?" He brought his hands together and leaned forward, making sure that he wouldn't miss anything that Futaba was saying.

"Don't know. Never learned how to parse that," she answered frankly with a bit of an embarrassed blush. Ren believed her on that. Futaba wasn't one to lie; just tease and lead by the nose.

"Anything else?"

"Lindy's personal history. Here's the short of it. She's pretty decorated all things considered. Good records, nothing that'd make us nervous. Her service is clean and distinguished, so basically you can judge this book by her cover. Again though, can't tell if any of it is faked."

"H-hold on, is this okay for us to do?" Nanoha was understandably freaked out. Not helping was the way everyone, save for Yuuno, had at this point just accepted what was going on.

"Meh, I've done worse." Futaba's reply only further exacerbated Nanoha's worries. It wasn't even a denial. In fact, it was a confirmation that it was bad. "Come on, it's not that bad! It's not the first time I've hacked into foreign government systems."

"I'm beginning to think that maybe Ren isn't the most dangerous one in this group…" Yuuno let out while nervously holding his head in his ferret hands. The rest of the thieves found it hard to refute that comment given current events.

"To answer you Nanoha… No. I imagine it's probably illegal." Ren eyed Yuuno. When Yuuno finally noticed, he gave small nod to confirm that it was. "It's okay if you don't approve of this. However, at least hear us out," He directed at Nanoha. She stiffened at being directly spoken to but did her best to pay attention. "From where we stand, we don't have a reason to trust the TSAB," He started.

"But they don't seem that bad?"

"So, do a lot of people. Do you remember the prime minister elections last year?"

"Well I remember that there was some sort of scandal, but I kind of didn't pay attention to it," Nanoha nervously admitted. "But I do know that people vote and… stuff…"

"Shido, that was his name." He informed them. "He was supposed to win the election, but then he outed himself to a number of scandals and crime, and he's since been discredited. He's in jail now serving his time."

"What did he do?" Nanoha's curiosity out weighed her fear. Despite that however, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at him containing a snort. Ren himself found it funny that maybe a couple of months ago he'd have been furious remembering it. Now it was a distant memory, just one of many.

"Well among other things like extortion, blackmail, bribery, and murder, He's the one who sued me for assault," he finally told her. Nanoha's eyes widened in disbelief. It didn't make any sense. How could somebody so horrible had gotten so close to one of the highest seats of power in the country?

"But he seemed fine. Even my parents were…" She couldn't finish her sentence, still shocked at how it was all connected and so horrible.

"That's why I asked Futaba to hack into the Arthra. We don't know anything about them. We don't have a reason to trust them outside of a single encounter. That's normally not enough to tell you what anyone is really like." Though confused, Nanoha felt he had a point. Or perhaps it was only because he was so calm and spoke so matter-of-factly that his words felt like they had weight. Either way it was clear to her that he wasn't just throwing words out.

"You can trust them, Ren. The TSAB is as reputable as one would imagine from such a governmental force."

"It's pretty foolish to trust anyone simply on word of mouth," Ren spoke back to Yuuno. "Ask anyone before the election and they'd tell you that Shido was an upstanding man, the genuine future. He was who Japan needed. The leader that we were waiting for. Turns out all of that couldn't have been further from the truth." To Nanoha it felt like he was recounting something that happened years, decades, ago. It was hard to believe this was all occurring not even a year ago. Ren's demeanor and calm dismissal of the matter simply didn't match how it should have affected him. "That's kind of just how the world is. You can't just blindly trust people Nanoha."

"Bu-" Her mouth moved faster before she could come up with an argument and so it died right as it left her. She wanted to argue back however she didn't know what to say. She wanted to tell them that though it's hard, you can't move forward with others without trust. She could feel it, but the words wouldn't come. Ren waited in case Nanoha finally formulated a response, but ultimately nothing came of it.

"Stew on it for a while. We can talk more after the meeting since it's just about time. So, is, everybody ready?" Ren asked. Everyone in the room gave affirmation in their own ways. Once he'd heard at least something from all present he felt that it was appropriate to proceed. "Then I think we should get started." Lindy appeared in front of them through the magic array not even a moment after Ren had said as such.

"Were you watching us this whole time?" He asked just to be sure.

"No. I've only just connected as per our predetermined time." Though he didn't show it, Ren felt a bit of relief knowing that what they'd done wasn't overheard. "So, this is everyone correct?" She asked just to be sure. She was still trying to become familiar with the group, making sure to better remember them this time.

"Yeah, everyone is here," He confirmed. Looking around he saw his teammates all tensed up and in varying degrees of nervousness. "Anyways let's just get right to the point." He wanted to move the point forward in case any of them… Ryuji cracks. It would probably only be Ryuji.

"Of course, so to remind everyone, we are offering a joint operation between ourselves and the group, The Phantom Thieves of Heart. We'll work together to solve the current incident involving the Jewel Seeds. Once the incident has been resolved, we will retrieve the Jewel Seed from within Ren and our business will conclude. Is this fine?"

"We'll share resources I presume?"

"Unfortunately, we cannot offer everything, but rest assured we will try to provide as much as we can," Lindy answered. A predictable response, but at the very least it wasn't a denial. It was probably the most they could probe at this juncture anyhow.

"Fair enough. Any questions?" He asked the rest of them.

"Um… what will happen to Fate-chan?" Nanoha asked. It was her only real concern. What would they do with her after this was all over?

"Well, it will depend on what happens. However, at minimum we will have to detain her. You can rest assured that at the very least, we will attempt to use only the minimal amount of force necessary. If we don't have to hurt her, we won't."

"I see." Nanoha heaved a sigh of relief that they would try to not hurt Fate. "Then can you let me handle her?"

"I don't see why not." Lindy couldn't see a downside to letting the girl have her request. Besides that, she recalled the fight the two had earlier. There was more to their relationship than that of two opposing forces on opposite sides. At the very least, an attempt at more.

"Thank you, then… I don't mind working with them." Yuuno nodded in confirmation as well once Nanoha had spoken her opinion on the subject. "Ren, I think it's okay to trust them. I think they're our best chance of saving Fate-chan. Please?" Ren's face remained the same despite Nanoha's plea. He slowly swiveled his head towards his team.

"We make our decisions by unanimous vote, meaning if even one person dissents we refuse," Ren reminded the team. "Before I ask you guys your decision, do you all mind if I say something first?"

"Go ahead man. Say your piece," Ryuji was first to respond. He was about as calm as he sounded, which certainly didn't match anyone else in the room.

"If it's you, then I'm sure all of us know that it's probably something very important," Haru followed alongside nods from the rest of the team.

"So, what is it, then?" Ann was asked, implicitly giving the go ahead. Their leader took a breath

"Well," Ren started. "I think we should work with the TSAB." Everyone's faces broke out into various bouts of surprise.

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"Is this a bad time?" Ren's eyes slid to the side to find Lindy, currently contacting him using the same magical array she used the first time they spoke. The glow of the comms took a moment for his eyes to adjust to as it lit up the small area around him in a green hue.

"Not really. I could use the company I guess. Isn't it a bit early though?" In fact, it was about an hour before their scheduled meet up. He was still relaxing at the side of the yacht, just taking in the scenery.

"Yes, it is, but I just wanted to speak to you privately, if that's alright." Lindy relaxed in her chair as the sound of the waves got through the speakers.

"If the conversation is private…" Ren's eyes squinted, trying to see if he could tell just where she was on the ship, and if anyone else was with her.

"Rest assured, I'm currently conducting this conversation from my personal quarters. None of the other crew members are present," she spoke truthfully. From what he could gleam, he didn't recognize the room behind her in the video feed.

"How candid." He wanted to comment further but stopped himself from doing as such. At least it wasn't the first time he'd dealt with older women… in fact most of his female acquaintances were his age or older in general. At least that was the case in the past.

"Please do not misunderstand my intentions, I just wished to respect your privacy," Lindy said in a straightforward and professional manner. It seemed she picked up on what he was thinking. "After all, I might be broaching a sensitive topic here, and if such, it wouldn't be appropriate for more individuals to be here than needed."

"Well I suppose I should thank you for that then," Ren said in a half joking, but half sincere voice. "So, what is it you wanted to ask that has you needing to do so in privacy?"

"Then I'll just go ahead?" Ren only realized that Lindy was still asking for permission after a moment or two had passed in silence. Returning a silent, measured nod, he heard Lindy taking a large breath over the comms. "If you'll let me be, perhaps, blunt, have you, in the past had a bad run in with authority?" Lindy saw Ren visibly freeze up, but quickly relaxed again.

"What makes you say that?"

"Well, certain cues and mannerisms for one thing. When we met on the Arthra, it was, not necessarily easy, but I was able to tell that you certainly weren't as calm as you tried to present yourself. You hid it well, but I've seen it enough times to know when someone is on edge."

"Looks like I still have a lot to learn then…"

"Oh? Not hiding it?"

"Looks cooler if I own it?" He gave a little shrug as he turned over, now leaning his back against the railing.

"I suppose so." A silence sat between them as the both of them had expected the other to say something. The sound of the ocean filled the space as the two stared down at each other, practically daring the other to move first, but not with malintent. Of course, dares were beneath her. "I know that as difficult as it may be to believe me when I say as such, but I want you to know that you can trust me. I am not be able to speak for the TSAB as a whole, and in fact I'm sure there are a number of unsavory elements within the organization that I am not privy to. However, I can at the very least vouch for myself. In that regard I wish to let you know that on my word, as just myself, as Lindy Harlaown, that you can trust me."

Lindy placed a hand upon her heart as she started straight at the young man. Only the fact that the feed would put her out of frame prevented her from standing. For those precious few moments, her gaze didn't waver as she tried her hardest, with her greatest sincerity to get through to him. She didn't know what happened to him. Perhaps abused, let down by the system, possibly even worse; maybe that and more, but it could only, right now, ever be conjecture on her part. Regardless, she felt that not only did she want to prove she was different, she wanted to reopen his heart to those like herself, those that wanted to help with only the best of intentions. She didn't need to reach as far as she thought.

"Sure."

"I understand that it may be difficult to- I see I've jumped the gun. You're more forthcoming that I thought you would be." Lindy barely contained her surprise. She hadn't expected such a level of maturity from him, especially given the way he toyed with her son during their fight and just before in conjunction with his jitters so to speak.

"And I don't think you're very much like the people in authority I'm used to seeing. Besides, I already know a few people already in the system who really do look out for people like me. It doesn't take a genius to understand that not every adult is out to get you." Toranosuke, Chihaya, Kawakami, Iwai, Ohya, Takemi, Sae… their faces popped up in his mind, reminding him of that very lesson.

"So then-"

"However, I'm not going to say I trust the TSAB unconditionally."

"I understand." Lindy was making headway, that was enough for her at this stage. "Whatever happened to you. I'm sorry. It may seem out of place for me to apologize, but I feel that I must."

"Meh, it was just authoritarian abuse, getting sued for assault, probation, drugging, violent interrogation, and attempted murder. I'll be fine." Lindy's brow furrowed as she heard him. Anger welled up at the discussion of such treatment he was unduly given. Such a thing wouldn't happen under her watch, and she would have certainly had the heads of whoever would have done so outside of her purview.

"You say that but-"

"If I'm alive, I can do something about it. I assume you'll also help with that?" He asked as he finally turned to face Lindy head on. She was taken aback by the resolve he seemed to exude even through the video feed, how it seemed to just pour out even from such a distance away through time and space. She couldn't help but respect such.

"Yes, with everything I can." She felt compelled to meet his resolve with her own at full force. "I'll formally contact you later with the rest of my crew to discuss how we are to proceed going forward." Silence fell between them. To Lindy it was clear that Ren wanted to ask something but seemed to, whether by youthful pride or some other reason, choked on the words. She let him ruminate, not wanting to force whatever it was that he was going to say, lest everything she'd done so far fall apart. Finally, though, he said something.

"Would you say that trying the same thing and expecting different results is stupid?" A roundabout question, Lindy noted. However, his sincerity in asking prevented her from staving off an answer.

"I would say so, yes. Unless said repetition is part of a greater plan, then it undoubtedly will lead to similar results without fail," She answered him as best she could. She still couldn't understand why he asked her as such. So, she decided that maybe now would be okay to push. "Do you regret something?"

"Well…" He brought his hands up to his face as if to push up a non-existent pair of glasses. He chuckled to himself once he realized what it was that he tried to do, stopping his hand mid-way through the habit. "Looking at those two, Fate and Nanoha, reminds me of a different pair. Some parts of Fate specifically bring to mind someone I knew once. I guess I can't help but think that maybe, had things been different, if a few variables were changed, maybe Ake- I mean, that guy would still be around."

"Well regardless of things in the past, things can be different in the present," Lindy said with a confident hope in her voice. Perhaps it was just simply her age lending credence, but he believed her.

"Exactly. Maybe this time things are different enough to bring about a better outcome; a happier one. Perhaps Fate can be saved…" When Akechi couldn't be, he finished saying in his mind. Despite everything that bastard put them through, he, and probably everyone else, felt that Akechi could've still worked to make amends. It wouldn't have been easy, but that's just how it was. If he worked to atone, maybe in time they could have at least accepted him. Probably never forgiven, but at least put it in the past. However, that was a 'maybe' that wouldn't be asked again. A silence fell between them again as the sound of the ocean continued in the background. The two simply stayed like this for a few minutes taking in the sounds of the sea.

Finally, when he had his fill, he spoke up. "We make our decisions unanimously. I can't guarantee the rest of them will want to work together."

"Still though, I look forward to hearing from you later. Until then." The video feed cut off, and he was left alone again.

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"For, real!?"

"I-I… wait… are you serious?"

"Huh? What did you just say?" A cacophony of noise erupted from the group as they all were in disbelief over what Ren just suggested, especially given what he'd just told Nanoha moments before. Speaking of which, the girl herself was also surprised. In contrast to the Thieves however, she was elated to find that Ren's decision mirrored her own.

"Ren…" she whispered with a smile and a hand on her chest where Raising Heart was. Ren raised a hand, signaling for them to stop to which they complied. Once silence had been established, he continued.

"I don't trust the TSAB. Not in the slightest, but at very least I can trust Lindy." This time the one in surprise was the Captain but she quickly squashed that down so as to maintain her image for the event at hand. "Before the meeting she and I spoke and from that, I think, even if we can't trust anyone else in the TSAB, that at the very least, we can trust her. That's my decision on the matter. So, what about the rest of you?"

"Ren… Thank you…" Lindy said under her breath, happy to see that her sincerity got through to the boy; that her efforts were not a waste.

"No problems on my end. I'll follow your lead like usual," Morgana said in a confident tone.

"And here I was ready to make a case as to why we should trust them. I suppose I won't be needing that anymore. As always you defy expectations Ren." Makoto grinned just the slightest bit.

"Didn't care one way or the other, but it's nice to have help every now and then." Ryuji relaxed back in his seat, glad that the tensest part, at least in his mind, was over.

"Sure, why not," was all Futaba said as she went back to working on learning more of the Arthra's systems. She made sure that her screen wasn't visible to the feed as she continued to work.

"I'm fine with this decision. At the very least it means I'll have more opportunity to see the ship and its designs." Yusuke was already forming a new piece in his mind. Realizing this, most of the thieves decided not to comment on it.

"So, you'll be okay Ren?" Haru asked, still a bit worried.

"I'll be fine Haru, thanks for worrying though."

"Well if you need anything, just let us know," Ann offered, making sure that Ren had heard her with a tap of the shoulder.

"I will," he answered playfully, but truthfully. "So, the decision is unanimous then?" He asked just one more time to be sure.

"Looks like it," Morgana confirmed as he jumped onto a nearby tables. The rest of the thieves each had a look of resolve as they all turned to look towards Lindy. "We have a deal," he told the TSAB Captain. "Looks like we'll be seeing each other more often."

"And we look forward to working with you for the foreseeable future," Lindy stated happily, but not a moment sooner she began to speak in a motherly tone. "With that out of the way, how about we all get some rest. It's getting late and I'm sure this has been draining on all of you. We can speak further in the morning."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow morning."

"See you tomorrow morning," she said with a wave before disappearing. Once the call ended, everyone eventually cleared out of the room. Nanoha opted to follow the girls to their room while Yuuno went with the guys. Soon the Yacht became quiet.

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"Ren?" Nanoha said, trying to get the attention of the young man staring off into the ocean again. The meeting had gone relatively well things considered, and since everyone seemed exhausted they all decided to turn in for some early shut eye after some prompting by Morgana. At least, most of them did. Nanoha couldn't sleep, and so decided to explore the yacht. She was still worried about Fate, and anxious over what was to come. She thought that fresh air would do her well. Besides that, though she was sure one of her friends' families probably owned a yacht as well, it was her first time on one, so her curiosity was a bit higher than usual. After just a bit of exploration, she found Ren leaning on the railings of the deck.

"What's wrong? Can't sleep? Pretty sure it's past your bed time." She walked up to his side, standing next to him as she also began to look over the dark water that stretched out before them.

"You know that I've been up later than this when we were hunting the Jewel Seeds," she fired back. She was proud of herself for that one. She felt that she was getting better at handling his teasing.

"And what happened most of the time when we were done? I seem to recall needing to wipe some drool off the back of my shirt a couple of times."

"I didn't drool! D-did I drool?" She instinctively went to wipe her mouth, in hopes of not getting caught flat footed.

"Not a bit."

"Meanie!" She tried to give him a half-hearted punch, only for him to stop it halfway with his hand.

"Going to have to try better than that." And try she did as she attempted a swift kick at his shin, only for her to nearly trip as he dodged it. "Hey, careful!" Ren knelt down to catch the girl before she could fully fall to the ground. In doing so, Nanoha ended up cradled in his arms. As she realized this she seemed to shrivel a bit in embarrassment. "Sorry about that. I went too far again."

"N-no, it's okay," She tried not to concentrate on the way Ren's proximity was making her feel. It wasn't the time for it, was it? However, it was still difficult to ignore the way he gently held her, not too tightly, but enough to make her feel safe. The way his body heat met her skin, causing her to feel smothered, yet it wasn't unwelcome. All the more emphasized thanks to the cool sea breeze. And his eyes that so clearly looked into her own tha- She shook her head violently to rid herself of her wandering thoughts.

"Nanoha-chan?" He was worried that something was wrong given how fast her head was moving to and fro. "Want me to put you down now?" Nanoha's head stopped, only to then nod in affirmation at the same frequency as before. Though he was still worried, he ignored it and went on to comply with her request "Alright then." He lowered her feet first before letting fully go once he was sure she had gotten purchase with the ground.

"Thanks…" She bowed just enough to hide her face from view, made easy thanks to their difference in height. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she met Ren head on. "I didn't ask earlier but what are you doing out here?"

"Just taking in the view."

"Ren, it's super dark. There's kind of no view."

"Well let's just say I'm trying then." Well she couldn't fault him on that. If she had to fathom a guess, he just couldn't sleep and not wanting to wake anyone else up, he decided to get fresh air. Just like her. Realizing that the two were probably going to be alone for the interim time, she quickly glanced from side to side, and even behind her while Ren was looking the other way. Maybe now was her chance. Her mother's words from earlier that evening echoed in her mind. Perhaps now was indeed the time. No regrets.

"Hey Ren?" She tried to calm herself. It was just a question, but even so she couldn't stop fidgeting around so much at even just the inkling and idea of it.

"What is it Nanoha?"

"Wh-what kind of girls do you like? I-I mean, just curious is all. You don't have to answer or anything, b-but I'd like to hear it if that's alright. You know like, attitude, personality, the way they act…"

"Those are kind of the same thing Nanoha…" Ren felt he needed to point out. He felt exhausted just looking at Nanoha driving herself into a panic.

"R-right! Because personality is really important! Though what kinds of hairstyles, looks, and, well, anything…"

"I'm into older mature women." Nanoha's face fell from a blistering lobster red to a pale chalk white. It wasn't a lie. He preferred older women. Just his luck so far didn't match his preferences… when push came to shove, he chocked. He felt like crying a bit thinking about how he absolutely screwed up each damn time to form a relationship.

"I-I see…" Nanoha's legs felt weak. She hadn't accounted for such an insurmountable preference. Anything else she could have dealt with. Okay maybe not everything, maybe not the really weird ones, but close enough. However, age wasn't something she could ever overcome. She would always be younger than Ren. But that was just one preference! She didn't have to overcome it, just bypass it. "But younger wouldn't be bad right? I mean do they have to be older?"

"Uh… no." Ren hadn't expected the light in Nanoha's eyes to return so quickly. Hearing his response, she rebounded with gusto.

"Right! So younger is okay?"

"To a point…" With the way Nanoha just simply looked elated, he kind of had an idea of where this was going. He had to nip it in the bud. "Nanoha?"

"U-uh yes?" She froze up when she heard her name, bottling up her previously rampant emotions. It was so hard to, since she had just heard she still had a chance.

"Tell me, why are you asking me this?"

"Wel-"

"Nanoha." He saw the way her eye drifted away from his, only to be pulled right back when he interrupted her. He took a deep breath to compose himself, and to make sure his voice was heard. "Be honest with me." He could see Nanoha's eyes still swimming, seemingly trying to find a way out, trying to figure out a solution to the predicament she was in. It was clear to his eyes, based on the way she kept fidgeting, that her mind was racing.

Nanoha on her end was debating incessantly inside her mind. Should she, or shouldn't she? If not, then what should she do? If so, then how would he react? Back and forth she went on and on in her mind whether or not to go through with it. She wasn't prepared for this. She hadn't readied herself to tell him, but she also couldn't think of a way out that wouldn't involve the worst possibilities, not after he asked her so directly. She decided however, that there was nowhere to run. Besides that, she didn't want to run away the first place; not from Ren. Instead she would run towards where he was; meet him and stand beside him. That's what her heart said.

"Ren, I like you…" There! She said it! She could feel her entire face light up, sweat beginning to form at her brow. A part of her wanted to both crawl in a hole and another wanting to jump for joy. Maybe both at once if she could somehow manage it. She heard, ever so softly, Ren let out a breath she didn't he was holding.

"If it was any other kid, I'd have probably just brushed it off," he said wistfully off to the side.

"Ren?" Did her confession not come through? Did he think she was just joking? What was he going to say?

"Nanoha?" She went ramrod straight when she heard her name. "When you say like, you mean the dating kind, marriage, romantic?" He wanted to confirm. He wanted it right out in the open and fully disclosed.

"Ma-marriage? I mean maybe not right now, but when I'm olde- I mean," she shook her head of those dreamy thoughts so that she could make them a reality later. "Yes, I really, really like you Ren, almost more than anyone else." He wouldn't question the 'almost' that she said. That didn't matter right now. "I know that we're not really the same age, but can I still be your girlfriend?" Nanoha watched Ren intently, her eye catching on to every movement he made no matter how small. She both didn't want to hear, yet at the same time wanted nothing more than to know his response. Inside she hoped, she prayed that he would say yes. That they could be together. Only that hope began to shrivel when she noticed Ren grimace.

"Nanoha, I'm flattered, but I'm sorry. I can't return your feelings." Nanoha's heart sank. It felt like something lodged itself inside her throat as her vision became blurry. Her legs felt like they would come tumbling down any moment. Her eyes widened as she felt a slow dull pain ache more and more in her chest. She tried to pat it down with a hand, but it morphed into a clutch as the pain became unbearable. Finally, when her cheeks became wet she realized, she was crying. She'd been rejected, and she'd become heartbroken. "Nanoha I-"

"I-it's okay," She forced out as best she could with as a big a smile she could make. It only served to pathetically let her tears fall into her mouth, making her look even worse. She soldiered on. "I u-understand. I'm sorry, for asking…" She asked, and he was kind of enough to give her an answer immediately rather than string her on with excuses and the like. She was happy that he respected her enough for that. She was happy to have received an answer at all.

At least that's what she was trying, and failing, to convince herself. But every time something inside her cried that it wanted more. It wanted him. She wanted him. That was one of her heart's dearest wishes. But she supposed that that was not how it would go. She was just being a bother. She couldn't inconvenience him more. She had to be out of his way so that she couldn't be a nuisance any longer. So she ran, the tears in her eyes now an absolute flood that trailed behind her as she, with all her might, went the other direction. She knew this could happen. She knew that this was possible, but it still hurt so much. It still hurt worse than anything she felt before, and the pain was simply suffocating.

"I'm going to regret this…" Ren said to himself with a sigh. In flash, he'd changed into his Phantom thief attire. "Arsène," he called quietly sending out his Persona before Nanoha got too far. In the next second, Arsène flew in front of the girl stopping her in her tracks. Joker followed right behind. "Nanoha!" He made sure that the girl wasn't about to leave. She'd frozen on the spot, confused as to what was going on, on top of other things. "Wait and listen to me for a moment!" He held her by the shoulders once he'd caught up to her. When he turned her around so that they could face each other, he found that her face was a mess, and getting worse. Despite that, she held firm and did as he asked. Her desire to run away still held strong, but she continued to hold on.

"Wha-what is it?" She whimpered regardless of her best efforts to put up a strong front. "I'm sorry to have bothered you Ren. You don't have to worry about me. I-I'll be fine." It was clear that she wasn't. Her smile was still strained, and her cheeks stained with tears that were still falling. He wasn't even sure she could see him with how watery her eyes were. Each sniffle and whimper that entered his ears caused a pang of guilt to ring out in his chest. He really couldn't stand to even entertain the thought of Nanoha being like this, and yet here it was in reality.

This was for the team. This was to make sure everybody's morale was high going forward. This was something anyone in his shoes would do. This was what he told himself. He knew deep inside that really, he just didn't want to see Nanoha cry. He didn't want her to be sad. A part of him, wanted to make sure she was happy. And right now, it was what was pushing him to go through with this half-baked promise. He was definitely going to regret this, he thought.

"Nanoha, let's make a promise." He dispelled Arsène and his outfit. He did what he needed to do with that so there was no sense in keeping it up.

"A… promise?" Here eyes went wide. What was this? Was she allowed to hope again?

"Yeah, a promise." He knelt down on one knee so that he was eye level with Nanoha. "The age of consent for marriage for girls in Japan is 16. If you reach that age and you still feel the same way, and I haven't found someone else, we can give it a shot. I won't wait for you, but I'll give you a chance to catch up. How's that sound?" He wanted to chide himself for such a non-committal deal. It was just a stop gap measure to keep her from crying. Not only that, he could hear his friends admonish him for trying to pull a modern day Hikaru Genji. Another part was already screaming at him to take it all back. Those thoughts seemed to just fade away when Nanoha's expression brightened up bit by bit.

"Really? Do you mean it?" It was her turn to grab hold of him, taking hold of his arms and tugging at his sleeves with a renewed vigor. "You promise?" She asked full of hope, her eyes glistening with a childlike innocence yet with a unflinching gaze that spoke of maturity.

"I promise, but only when you're 16, if you still feel the same way, and I haven't already found someone else," he repeated. He had to make sure she understood that. He internally made a note to try and get a girlfriend before that happened. He had six years or so. He had time. He'd laid out the terms clearly, so he just had to make sure that either he got a girlfriend or hoped Nanoha moved on by then. Yeah, that was most likely what was going to happen. He had this in the bag. And besides he can't say he lied either. He was being completely square on the deal.

"Right, I understand! I just have to keep… I just have to keep loving you from now on!" She felt embarrassed to say it out loud, but if that's what it took, she'd do it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. "I'll love you forever, just you wait!" She declared with as much vigor as she could. Now it was Ren's turn to feel embarrassed. Even if it was from a kid, it was so genuine and sincere that it would have put even the most honest adult to shame. Worse, he knew Nanoha meant it. She was mature for her age, and so wasn't the type to say something like that lightly. Knowing how stubborn she could be… he probably just made a big mistake didn't he?

When she couldn't take it anymore, she let Ren go. Her heart was absolutely pounding, almost like it would burst out her chest at any moment. The last few minutes had been, for her at the very least, an emotional roller coaster all ending on a high. There was hope, even as small as it was, and she'd grip it tightly. She didn't plan to let go in the slightest. She'd have to work to make Ren happy with the decision, but it was work she was more than happy to put in and then some. Though maybe she'd have to chase away a few people going after Ren… He never said she couldn't do that. Realizing the underhandedness of that thought, she wondered if Ren's attitude was starting to rub off on her. Maybe it'd make him like her more if they were more similar?

"Anyways, it's getting late. I think we should get some sleep before it gets too late. What do you say?" Ren asked as he stood up.

"Yeah, let's go." She held her hand out to him to get going. When he didn't immediately grab on to it, she became worried she'd made a faux pas of some sort. "Too soon?"

"No, just… Never mind." He took Nanoha's hand and the two returned to the ship's interior. He noted that Nanoha's hand held on tighter than before. Nanoha on her end, noted the feeling of elation in her heart as she felt his hand in hers. The two quietly returned to their rooms, separating at the appropriate juncture.

 **-0-0-9-0-0-**

"Fate-chan, you don't have to keep doing this!" Arf pleaded to her master. The familiar was reaching her limit. Her master continued to take injury after injury as she pursued the Jewel Seeds without rest. Fate lay on the couch, resting herself after having tended to the wounds she'd received from that TSAB officer earlier that day. Arf herself was sitting on the ground next to her.

"It's okay, Arf. It'll all be over soon. Just a bit more, and we'll be done." Though Fate's smile was meant to be comforting, it only further served to justify Arf's fears.

"The TSAB's appeared. There's nothing more we can do! Let's just run away! That guy! Joker! We can go to him! He'll take care of us! I'm sure of it! We just have to-"

"You know we can't do that," Fate reprimanded, but did so using as kind and gentle a voice she could muster. She didn't have the energy to do more than that. "If-"

"These aren't weak amateurs Fate! They're professionals, and that officer we faced off against earlier today was top class. If they begin searching for us properly we won't have anywhere to hide! We won't be able to stay here for long. But maybe he could shelter us…" Arf's teeth gnashed against one another as she tried to contain her anger. "That old hag- Your mother is insane Fate, doing awful things to good people and making you do them too."

"Don't speak poorly of mother…" Fate's voice was weak despite her attempts at adding severity to her tone.

"Fate your mother isn't how you think she is. I speak poorly of her because it's the truth. I'm worried about you!" Despite her attempts to speak up, Fate's words died in her throat as she saw tears fall from her familiar's eyes; A loyal friend, begging with everything she had, both in word and body. "When you're sad, my heart feels like it's going to break too! When you cry, I can't help but feel my tears welling up too! I hate it!" Fate felt her face morph into a grimace much to her chagrin. She had to something, anything to make Arf feel better.

"It's just because, although it's weak, our minds are linked with one another." She just started saying whatever came to mind to help soothe Arf's heart. If her familiar knew that it wasn't her fault, it should help right? "I'm sorry. If it hurts you I won't sad anymore, and I won't cry." Fate sat up and tried to reach out to Arf however-

"I just want you to be happy!" Arf cried as her face scrunched in pain, her feelings having been misunderstood by her master. The rest of her body then fell to the ground sobbing. "Why!? Why don't you understand that?" Fate drew her hand back and averted her eyes from the sight of her distraught companion. She found herself unable to think of anything that could calm Arf now.

"Thank you Arf… but," she found the next sentence hard to say. Before, in the past it would have been easy, but for some reason something caused her to choke on those words. It wasn't just Arf's crying as she tried to speak, but something else as well. Gathering her will, she forced the rest of what she wanted to say out. "But… I want to grant mother's wish. Not just for mother, but I'm sure for my own sake as well." As she neared the end of sentence, her eyes closed for some reason. Perhaps it had become too difficult to bear watching Arf sobbing on the floor. She nonetheless reached out her hand again and pat her familiar on the head. "So, wait just a while longer. It won't be much longer. Will you still work with me?"

"Just…" Arf began as she lifted herself off the floor to at least the sitting position she was in earlier. "Just promise me that you'll do your best for your own sake, and not because she's telling you to. If you do, I'll protect you without fail." Fate nodded, setting Arf's heart mostly at ease. As long as her master was happy…

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Yachts are very nice, as my research has told me. They're also very expensive. Anyhow this gave me a rut of writer's block and so came out in spite of my best efforts. At the very least it is out now, and I feel fine with it as it currently stands. For the next few chapters I'm toying with idea of merging/speeding up certain events due to the fact that currently going by the Nanoha anime, this is about episode 8 of 13, but things are ramping up to a near close already according to my (poor) understanding of interest curves. I'll see what happens as I rewatch them for clarity. I believe Ren's interference can serve as enough impetus and butterfly flapping to make changes to Nanoha cannon (at least more than before)

In regard to Futaba's hacking: SQL Injection is literally something you should never let happen in your system and is one of the things typically (by just practicality) handled automatically due to it just being standard practice. I know I'm stretching that aspect for the hacking, but I thought it would be funny if the advanced alien firewall overlooked that really, really basic security flaw.

Oh right… also the shipping… I'll let you all just look on that as you wish.

Any who, as always I hope you enjoyed reading this little ol' writing of mine. If you enjoyed it, leave a Review and tell me ways I can improve, or maybe just to say hi. I'm lonely and could use the company of more than my FGO servants and Neptunia VR sessions. Regardless reviews of all kinds are welcome so that I may learn weaknesses or errors I've missed or a good old fashioned Peg knocking. I could always use that too.

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day. I'm going to go and watch Dover Boys again. Farewell.


	10. Chapter 10:Let the Show Begin

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: Let the Show Begin**

"Wrong again…" Ren scratched another off the list, his pen almost tearing through the paper in frustration. "Still not it." He hadn't been able to sleep ever since he'd woken up from only the short bit of sleep that he was able to get. Not that it could have been called sleep. He sat alone at a desk in the room provided to him for his stay on the Arthra, a single small light shining over him from the nearby lamp as he continued to work in the otherwise dark room. Though there wasn't anyone else around, he still tried to keep quiet given the hour. There was still time, but it was running out without any sign of more coming to alleviate him of his plight. "Think… Think…" His pen tapped the paper over and over without pause, as he struggled to get any more ideas he could use. He had a promise he had to keep, and the only way to do that was with this. "Alright, let's give it another go…" He wiped away the drowsiness as he forced himself forward through the night.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"It's not enough, it's not enough." Precia mumbled to herself in anguish as she ran the numbers again through her device. She stood in an isolated tunnel of her sanctuary, the Garden of Time. "I need more seeds. I need to reach Al Haza-" her deranged monologue was interrupted as coughing tore her throat and sent her to her knees, blood flowing from her mouth and staining the floor below. Her device disappeared as she her coughing fit continued to ravage her body, wheezing for breath as she tried to swallow down the pain and urges to cough further. "I'm running out of time. For me… for Alicia…"

The doors slammed open, echoing in the air as Arf stormed past and onto the stairs down into the dilapidated cavern ruins.

"Precia!" Her voice filled the otherwise quiet tunnel without difficulty. Despite her unobstructed voice reaching even the farthest reaches of the room before her, Precia didn't seem to acknowledge her. No, she acknowledged Arf's presence, but chose to ignore it soon after. She continued to stand unperturbed far into the tunnel's depths. Arf's eyes narrowed in focus. She sped up her descent, reaching a full-on sprint once she hit the bottom of the stairs and made for her target. Once in range, Arf leapt at Precia with her claws at the ready.

"Urragh!" She swung her arm at the sorceress, only to be stopped by a barrier. She was then blown back by the force but managed to land back on her feet. After catching her breath, Arf ran in again, swiping her claw at Precia a second time. As before, Arf found herself stopped by Precia's barrier, however this time, she didn't back down. "Argh!" At last, she tore her way through, shattering the magical shield to pieces. Carrying the momentum forward, Arf rushed past until she reached Precia proper, turning her around, and grabbing her by the collar.

"You're her mother, she's your daughter, right!?" Arf began, letting her thoughts stream right into speech without hesitation. "She tries so hard for you, gives everything she has for you! How can you continue to abuse and neglect her!" Arf stopped. What was that expression she saw on Precia's face? It was as if it was a glimpse of… regret? Before she could continue however, Precia fired a magic bolt from her hand, piercing Arf's side and sending her crashing into the nearby tunnel wall.

"That child's familiar is so poorly made. It's far too emotional." Precia's apathetic tone made Arf's temper flare further. She spoke as if she was handling a tool that had worn out its welcome, rather than a living creature with its own will and sapience.

"Fate is your daughter!" Arf pushed down her own indignation and redoubled her resolve for her master. "She wants to see you smile. She wants the kind mother from her memories back so much…" Arf tried to force what strength she had leftover from the previous attack to stand, only for her muscles to jolt with pain as she tried to push even the smallest bit of movement out of them. She winced as her body screamed, but she didn't stop. She continued to try, even when the pain paralyzed her. She had to continue, for her master. An ominous chuckle brought Arf out of her struggle as her eyes opened to find Precia right above her. In the next moment, Precia brought out her staff.

"What a nuisance…" There wasn't much time left, she had to move. "Be gone!" Precia's staff was set aglow as it unleashed a spell meant to rid the world of the familiar.

At that moment, Arf, shutting her eyes to shield herself from the blast, unleashed her held spell, breaking the stone behind her and launching her out of Precia's view. Once she'd opened her eyes, she found herself falling from the giant stone structure and into time-space.

"Fate, I'm sorry…" she whispered with her ragged, faint breath as she continued to fall into dimensional space. "I… have to transform… have to transport… wait for me. I'll get… help…" Arf's body disappeared as a spell sent it through dimensions.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"Great job again today Nanoha-chan," Yuuno said as he, Ren, Morgana, and of course Nanoha sat down at an empty table in the Arthra's Cafeteria. In Morgana's case, he jumped on to the table in cat form. None of the regular crew of the Arthra had so far told him to stop, and he felt no reason to either.

"A quick snatch and grab. Nice and easy. Strange how we haven't run into those two recently," Morgana noted as he began to clean his fur. "According to Futaba-san's readings, it seems we're just missing each other by a hair."

"And that is all the difference it takes to determine who gets the seed." Ren broke apart the croissant in his hands and bit a piece off before continuing. "So far we've gotten 3 seeds-"

"-while Fate's gotten two," Nanoha finished for him as he plopped another piece of bread into this mouth with a nod agreeing with her. "That leaves six left I believe."

"Right, and we've exhausted all the land surface area that the seeds could have landed. We've already set Amy-san and Futaba-san to work on scanning the nearby sea. I'm not sure how the seeds were able to remain dormant for so long, but it just might be perhaps it's just your ocean life haven't interacted with them." Yuuno had been the one to order the search, given that Ren, Nanoha, and company had their hands full dealing with the seeds and the results there in; an exhausting affair. "By the way, when I went to the bridge to request them to check the sea, I overheard Lindy-san saying that you've been doing great Nanoha. She even joked about wanting to keep you around even after all this is over."

"Really? That's kind of embarrassing." Nanoha couldn't keep a smile and blush from creeping over her as she took in the compliment. "But I don't think I would have done nearly as well without Ren and the others."

"Possibly, but you shouldn't be so quick to discount yourself. Lindy also made a passing remark about you Ren, saying something along the lines of 'if only he was more traditionally trained in magic' and 'What interesting but underhanded tactics' or something to that effect. You two have really made an impression on her." Yuuno finally got to his meal once he'd finished speaking of the praises the two of them had been receiving. Ren took his compliments for what they were. It's not like they were wrong.

"Hey what about the rest of us?" Morgana asked, once he'd realized that he and the other thieves hadn't been mentioned, of which the rest of them, aside from Futaba, were resting back on the yacht, whose amenities were significantly more accommodating for relaxation than a military vessel, advanced magi-tech be damned.

"She's pleased with everyone's performance," Yuuno added once he'd swallowed on what he was chewing just then. "It is not that any of you are unremarkable, but to be frank, those two are quite the outliers."

"Well I guess I can't argue that. Ren's always been a bit special. I guess it just took more people getting involved to really notice." Morgana gave a passing glance at the other crew members walking by, just enough to catch a glimpse but not enough to be noticed. Some stole glances at the group, but none dared to sit next to what had become the highlight of the week. When they'd started, there was significantly more attention thrown their way, causing a bit of discomfort for the thieves and Nanoha, but eventually it died down to its current level as half of Golden Week had blew right past them. Most of them don't spare a second to glance at Futaba as she ran around the ship to mess with everything at hand. Though they would question her if it looked like she was doing anything particularly strange or dangerous.

"Is something wrong Nanoha?" Ren realized that she hadn't touched her meal, and despite earlier praise having lifted her mood a bit, seemed a bit down. In fact, he remembered, she'd been down for a while now.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing… I'm fine." Ren didn't buy it, and neither did the others at the table.

"Nanoha, you know better than to think that would convince us."

"Nanoha, if you're feeling lonely without your family and friends around, then that's normal." Yuuno tried to comfort the girl, only for her to shake her head.

"I'm used to being alone." Yuuno, Ren, and Morgana found themselves surprised by Nanoha's statement as it was clear that this time it wasn't the girl putting up a strong front. "A few years ago, my father got injured pretty badly at his job and had to be hospitalized for some time. This happened right when the café had just opened and wasn't as popular as it is now. My Mother and Kyouya nii-chan had to work at the café while Miyuki nee-chan made regular visits to dad at the hospital."

"So, you were left at home a lot then?" Ren asked, to which Nanoha answered with a nod.

"I was too young to help at the café, and I didn't like seeing dad wrapped in bandages and casts all over his body. It's only recently that I'm not alone at home so much anymore." Ren eyed Morgana who was licking himself clean and felt the edges of his lips crease upwards, thankful that he also wasn't as alone.

"I can't recall a single thing about my parents. As far as I can remember, they've never been a part of my life," Yuuno shared. "Instead, I was raised by Scrya clan. They took care of me, teaching me magic and the like. They're pretty much my family."

"I see. On the topic of family what about you Ren?" Nanoha then asked, seeing this as the perfect time to learn more about her, in her mind, promised partner.

"Me?" The shift caught Ren off guard, a bit of lettuce falling off his fork due to his staying idle.

"Mhm, what was your family like?"

"Well…" Ren's words trailed off before they even began as he struggled to find the words to describe the people that, as Sojiro put it, 'got rid of him for being a pain in the ass'. Noticing the way his eyes seemed to become more and more downcast with each passing second, Nanoha tried to make up for her faux pas as quickly as she could.

"If you don't want to say anything that's okay." Memories of Ren's home surfaced in Nanoha's mind. She remembered how dark and somewhat empty it seemed, also recalling how Ren said his parents were out of the country for work. She ignored how vacant it was for the most part thanks in part to Ren's presence as well as Fate's. But when giving those memories a second look, it seemed obvious now that Ren wasn't exactly experiencing the same kind of warm family life that she did.

"It's fine," Ren said to reassure Nanoha that she didn't offend him. "Though, if I was pressed to talk about anyone, I guess Futaba and Sojiro then. Oh, Sojiro's the one who took me in after I was put on probation, as a favor apparently. He's Futaba's dad. I lived on the second floor of his café, Le Blanc for the year I was in Tokyo. It was a bit rocky at first but overtime he kind of became something like a… well dad's not the right word, but something close to it; uncle maybe? Futaba also became something like a little sister to me too."

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Morgana asked in joking indignation.

"Nah, chopped liver's got more meat to it, but you're important to me too, Morgana." Ren the smothered the cat's head under his palm with just a bit more force than usual.

"Hey! Watch the goods!" Despite his protests, the cat didn't fight back all that much, instead deigning to let Ren continue to manhandle the crown of his head with only a token amount of annoyance.

"But then when I really think about it, I kind of feel the same way about a lot of other people I met in Tokyo. All the other thieves, Mishima, the doctor down the street, a reporter I met at a bar, that shogi girl at the church, the airsoft shop owner, the fortune teller in Shinjuku, heck even a member of the national Diet."

"Don't forget your maid-teacher." Ren pushed even harder down on Morgana's skull, prompting the cat to finally start fighting back a bit by trying to scratch at Ren's hand, only for him to playfully pull it back and forth like a cat toy to tease Morgana.

"You… have a lot of friends, don't you Ren?" Yuuno commented in slight shock at the diversity of the individuals he hinted at.

"I'm even friends with a defense attorney," He added with a subtle feeling of smug on his face as he and Morgana settled down from their little spat, Morgana giving a little huff from the minor physical exertion.

"Maid-Teacher?" Nanoha mumbled to herself. She didn't know what that could possibly mean, but she for some reason really didn't like the sound of it. It sounded… wrong, in an adult way. Not that she fully understood what adults did, but she still didn't like it. Not only that, but her (as her older sister would probably have put it) woman's intuition flared at a few of the descriptions that passed.

"But yeah… They're probably better family than my actual blood relatives, if I had to be honest." After all, they're the reason he wasn't still in juvie. The memories came marching in one by one. The days and nights he spent with them, were still fresh and clear. Man was he bad at keeping their identities as the thieves a secret. But he looked fondly at those times, and that would probably never change.

"Were you lonely before you met them?" Nanoha asked, bringing Ren back to the present.

"Yeah, I guess. But having people to share in that loneliness, to be able to empathize and understand each other's problems and come to a mutual trust, I don't think I'd trade that for anything in the world." Of course, he didn't mention the mutual using of one other another for their own designs and convenience, but that part was only at the beginning when he first met them all.

"Then I guess we're alike." Before Ren could ask what Nanoha meant by that-

"Ren, Get to the bridge ASAP!" Oracle's voice rang through his head, and from the looks of it, the rest of his table mates' as well. "Something's popped up in front of your house! I think you'll recognize it. Just get over here now!"

"Got it! Let's go guys!" With a nod from the others, they left without delay, leaving their trays on the table as the four of them headed for the bridge.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

Her eyes flickered open as her consciousness returned to the fore. Even after they opened in full, and her body awakened, it took a moment to realize that the ceiling that she was staring at wasn't one from Earth. She flung herself up in a panic, looking to and fro around the room only to calm back down once it was clear that she was alone save for the hum of machinery that was near her.

"Where am I?" Her mind was still hazy. The last thing she remembered was being flung to Earth and struggling to get someplace. But where was that place? "Right, that guys house." That was where she was going. She didn't know where the brunette lived but she had been to his house. She was desperate but knew that he, at the very least, would help. He didn't show it, but he had bleeding heart, that much she was able to gleam from their few interactions. That and the fact that within those interactions, a good portion of them were of him helping her and Fate, or at least offering to.

"And yet, here I am." She grimaced. This was probably a TSAB ship. It made sense, given that they made their presence known just a few days prior. With their greater technology and her being practically at death's door, it would have taken a miracle for that guy to find her first. She looked down to find that she was mostly healed, save for a few deeper injuries that were still recovering, but this 'kindness' was probably only to make sure she was well enough to answer their questions before they sent her off to god knows where. "Dammit…"

The TSAB didn't have a reason to help her, they'd only see her as a criminal to be put in jail and forgotten. She could try to plead with them to help Fate, but they'd probably just jot it down for the court record and file it away. Not only that, now that she was out of the picture, there was nothing stopping Fate from listening to her mother's every order, making her crimes worse by the minute. At this rate the TSAB will probably handle Fate just like Precia, and it was all her fault. She couldn't stop her, and now that monster can do anything she wants to Fate. And when it all tumbles down, Precia will drag Fate down with her. There wasn't anything she could do now, not a single option remained.

It was over.

"I'm sorry Fate. I'm so sorry." Tears streaked down Arf's cheeks. She felt helpless. Her only hope was gone, and her future was going to be in a cell where she'd most likely never see Fate again. She wasn't going to get another chance to make Fate happy. At the very least that is what she thought.

"- and I'm telling you to calm down Futaba. She's resting so be quie- Oh, you're awake". A brown, short haired girl Arf didn't recognize was the first person she saw after the doors opened, followed by a younger orange haired one, and a blue haired man who seemed distracted. The weren't wearing anything indicating military affiliation but the familiar would be remiss if she left her guard down. Arf quickly wiped away her tears. She'd at least maintain what dignity she had left.

"Who are you?" Arf's eyes narrowed as she focused on them.

"I'm-"

"So, you're the familiar of that rival magical girl?" The orange haired one interrupted catching everyone off guard as she got between the brunette and Arf.

"Um… yes?" Her eyes blinked thanks to the suddenness of the girl appearing right in her face. She then internally chided herself when she realized how easily she answered.

"Futaba!" The orange haired one went ramrod straight and jumped away from the bed as, what Arf presumed to be, her name was called. "I'm sorry about that. I'm Makoto Nijima. This is Futaba Sakura, and over there is Yusuke Kitagawa."

"Hi!"

"A pleasure, Arf-san."

"We're Ren's friends, so you can relax." That guy's friends? To Arf, he didn't seem the type to have so many. He did seem cool and was certainly nice but seemed to give off a somewhat sheepish demeanor… outside of his transformed state. That was scarier than anything else in her experience. Given enough time to heal, she'd gladly throw herself at Precia again, but you couldn't expect her to do the same to him if he ever brought that thing out again. Regardless, she felt her guard drop upon hearing his name. She realized it was ironic that she was more antagonistic towards the one she felt was the weaker of the two.

Then her brain clicked. Ren's friends? That guy. The guy she was trying to find? That Ren? Arf's mind swam as it tried to process what it heard a few moments ago. She wanted to jump out of the bed in joy. There was still reason to hope, a chance that Fate could be saved. However, she tempered herself. They could be lying, and this could be a trap of some sort.

"What are you doing here?" She put her guard back up. "If you're friends with that guy then ask him to come here, right now." Makoto eyed Futaba, who returned it with a nod.

"We're contacting him now, as well as Nanoha-chan since she wanted to know of when your consciousness returned," Makoto informed truthfully.

"That's fine… what's he doing?" Arf felt herself be perplexed as Yusuke continued to examine her.

"Those lupine features are real I presume?"

"What are you staring at?" Arf covered her ears, embarrassed at being leered at. Even more so that it was not the usual pair getting the look. That she could handle, but her ears?

"Sorry, he's a painter, so he's always looking for new aesthetic inspiration for his next piece. If you can ignore him for the moment, would you mind telling us what happened to you?" Arf was still wary of taking her eyes of the guy, but when she realized his eyes weren't moving downwards like she thought he might, she inched her gaze over towards Makoto. At least she seemed sensible amongst these weirdos.

"Only when he's here." He referring to Ren, Makoto guessed.

"Fair enough. We'll wait." It wouldn't be the first time she wasn't trusted completely, and considering her choice of future vocation, it wouldn't be the last. Rather than exacerbate her mood, they let themselves sit in silence. Arf however, made sure that blue haired guy didn't do anything too weird in the meantime.

"We're here Futaba. You said she was awake?" Ren, followed by Nanoha, and the rest of the thieves, crowded the room.

"And bored. Also, what are you doing on a TSAB ship? You don't seem the military type." Arf hoped that it wasn't too obvious that she was relieved to see him. Likewise, Ren felt his anxiety shed away upon hearing her sass him.

"Temporary Alliance," he answered. "What happened to you? We found you in front of my home, and pretty much at death's door. How'd you end up like that?"

"Straight to the point? That's no-" Ren's wry expression of worry, and similarly uncomfortable looks on the others in the room, reminded her of the situation at hand. "Sorry. Let's try that again." Arf took the time to clear her throat, taking a deep breath afterwards. Once she made sure they were all paying attention, she resumed. "I, well… I tried to stop Fate's mother." Eyes widened as Arf spoke. "I just couldn't take it anymore, so I took matters into my own hands. I went up to Precia without Fate's knowledge and tried everything I could to take her down. But as you can see," she motioned to the bandages and wounds on her body, "that didn't go so well. I was thrown out into dimensional space and back to your planet after things went south."

"Where you then tried to find me?"

"I guess. I can't say for sure. I was delirious at that point, but it would make sense as to why I ended up there before blacking out." She shrugged before taking a deep breath. This was the chance she wanted. She didn't care how it happened, but she wouldn't this miracle slip away. "I suppose, since I have the opportunity, I should do what I intended to do then…" Arf's hands gripped the blanket as she readied herself for what she was about to say next. "Please, save Fate." Her vision blurred as her master entered her thoughts. "I know I'm not in any position to beg, but I've got no one else to turn to. That woman has to be stopped and you're the only ones I know who might be able to do something." Her words came out strained as they had to fight her sobs coming out at the same time.

"Arf…" Nanoha said under her breath as her hands balled into a fist in frustration. Ren's eyes flickered over, but instead of doing anything, decided to let Nanoha's emotions stew. It would be a good learning experience for her, he thought. And besides, it wasn't like he wasn't just as frustrated.

"I've tried repeatedly to get Fate to stop, but every time she just goes 'mother this, mother that' as if she's really ever been a 'mother' to her. I don't know what to do anymore. Fate just refuses to listen to anything I say, always rebuffing it by saying that Precia will be better once this is all over. That Precia's happiness is her happiness. She's just using Fate. Why can't she see it?"

"Very likely it isn't that Fate isn't aware of it, so much that she wishes to genuinely believe in her mother, to the extent that she doesn't care that she's being used," Yusuke interjected to the surprise of all present save for a few of the Thieves. "To her, her mother is her world. She has attached herself to the idea that there is nothing better for her than her mother and her place next to that figure. Alongside that she probably feels an obligation to the person that raised her, wanting to repay that kindness regardless of how much it comes to her own detriment."

"Raised her? That bi-" Yusuke raised a hand to stop Arf before she could go any further.

"If you will be quiet for a moment, regardless of the reality of the situation, Fate rationalizes her mother's behavior in ways that make sense to her, that fit into the image she's built up and idolizes. It most likely is something of a foundation to her sense of reality and self-worth. Something that is sacrosanct to her very core. It will be difficult to shake someone when they possess such idolatry of a person or thing at the level that you have most likely described. Only an extreme revelation or showing of contradictory circumstances might be able change Fate's mind, and even then, that person might yet still harbor reservations… especially if that person is like a parent to them."

"But I don't know anything like that. If I knew something like that I wouldn't be here. She already beats Fate and treats her like garbage. What more can I do when it being right in her face doesn't do anything?" Arf pleaded, half to Yusuke, half to no one in particular.

"You wanted to know why Fate refuses to see her mother for what she is, and I answered," Yusuke clinically responded. "At this point, if we are without the option of being able to change Fate, then there is only one person we can set our sights on." He turned towards Ren, giving him a knowing look as he did so which Ren returned with a nod. With a quick glance he confirmed everyone else's stance on the matter and found that they were all in agreement. They might not have the same means as before, but they certainly still had the will. In this case the method, most of the thieves surmised, would have to be a tad more straightforward.

"Arf," Ren spoke, catching the wolf girl's attention. "The Phantom Thieves formally accept your request to stop Fate's Mother." Arf felt herself blink once or twice.

"Yeah, and we have the TSAB with us. I'm sure that if we explain it to them, they'll be happy to help out as well," Nanoha added. Arf wasn't sure how to respond to that. Nanoha's optimism felt cheap, but at the very least sincere. She wouldn't trust the TSAB as far as she could throw them, but she felt that this little girl genuinely wished to help regardless of their past. Perhaps it was lucky that she was accompanied by Ren. When she looked at him, she noticed his smirk was a twinge devilish, but there was something comforting in it as if it had a plan that would satisfy all parties under its twisted deal. At least she wouldn't have to fight that thing if he was on her side.

"Thaaaaaaa-" A yawn escaped from Arf's mouth, and she found herself exhausted. "Sorry, I guess I'm still tired from everything that's happened recently." She realized she wasn't as anxious as before. That confirmation of assistance was probably the cause, that she was able to get the help she wanted.

"You should get some rest. I'll tell the crew that you're under our protection," Ren told her as she lay back into the bed, its soft feeling already beginning to take her consciousness. She fought the urge if only to continue talking to Ren.

"Right. Fate will be happier knowing that your healthy," Nanoha added as she stood next to Ren over Arf's bed.

"You really will save Fate?" She asked one more time.

"Of course."

"Yeah," Ren and Nanoha spoke over each other, causing the two of them to face the other at the same time. Nanoha's blush contrasted Ren's little smirk in a sort of comedic fashion. Arf smiled at their little blunder, probably the most genuine smile she's had in a while, she thought to herself.

"Then, I'll leave it to you." That was all she said before her mind eased into slumber, her body finally giving in to the rest it sorely needed.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"And that's what happened." Ren finished explaining to Lindy what had gone on in the infirmary. He, the rest of the thieves, Nanoha, and Yuuno all stood in the command room.

"I see…" Lindy focused herself on the report, replaying the events in her head to make sure she had it down right.

"So, we're going to help Arf, right?" Nanoha asked, her smile a bit too hard to look at.

"Well it's not going to be that simple," Lindy said with an apologetic look. "She still has criminal activity on her record that needs to be addressed. Even if she's come to us for help in stopping the source of the problem, that doesn't erase what she's already done."

"Okay, but that doesn't mean we can't do whatever it takes to save Fate and stop her Mom. We can, you know, talk about that stuff later!" Nanoha pushed.

"Well, even so, there are procedures that have to be-"

"Ma'am, we're getting a reading over the ocean!" One of the crew called out from the lower deck of the command room. Lindy didn't let the opportunity slip past, focusing herself on the crew member who just spoke.

"We have visual. Do you want it on the main screen?" Amy followed swiftly after before turning her attention to Lindy.

"Put it on," Lindy commanded without hesitation.

"Roger!" Soon after the main screen of the Arthra lit up to display a lone blonde girl floating above the ocean.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

Fate floated above the ocean, the city only visible in the distance as a smudge on the horizon, and even then it was perhaps a generous description of its relative size. She rechecked the coordinates to make sure that this was the spot. Her mouth opened, readied to say something, only to be closed shut as the wind blew past to remind her that she was alone. Arf wasn't here. She wouldn't be here anymore. According to her mother, apparently a… defect had appeared in Arf and she was disposed of. Fate didn't know what she felt when she heard that, only something inside her stung when she heard those words. Regardless there was nothing she could do as she was only told after the fact. Now Mother was all she had left. There wasn't anyone else anymore to turn…to.

Despite her wishes, her thoughts turned to that girl and the young man that accompanied her. They appeared in her vision for some reason and wouldn't go away, even as she did her best to rid herself of those thoughts. And yet the thought to sitting at his table and eating with… After a pause, she shook away the downcast look that was about to form on her face and looked resolutely at the target location. Now more than ever, it was important for her to make mother happy.

Mother was all she had left. She ignored the thoughts that still threatened to edge themselves into her head; thoughts of that girl and boy. It wasn't the time for that. It should have never been time for…

She aimed Bardiche as the ocean and prepared the spell alone. A giant yellow magic array appeared above the ocean, sending streams of lightning down into the water, as well as conjuring even more storms above. Rain came, signaled by a particularly strong thunder clap that Fate felt through her body. The goal was to activate all the Jewel Seeds that had fallen into the ocean simultaneously and seal them all in one go. The TSAB wouldn't have time to move if she was quick enough. She would have to be quick enough.

Water jettisoned upwards, wreathed in magic as it flew towards the sky in a pillar that rivaled skyscrapers. Then another erupted, and another, and another until six geysers like formations appeared, kicking up even more water than before.

"Found them!" Fate yelled as she confirmed the remaining six seeds. Though her muscles froze for a moment, she forced herself forwards. "Moving to seal them." Activating Bardiche's scythe mode, she moved in to get the remaining seeds into her custody. No more failure.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"What's she doing?" Morgana was the first to ask as the thieves took in every moment that Fate was on the Arthra's screens. None of them were able to derive an answer, but by contrast it appeared that the crew didn't have any such doubts as to the contents of her actions.

"She appears to have forced the activation of the seeds that fell into the ocean," Amy answered as she along with the other crew members were analyzing the incoming data.

"Is the storm a result of that?" Tornadoes and Lightning were in full view as Fate continued feeding magic power into the raging ocean. Her body was slowly being battered by the intense rain, causing Ren and the others to worry.

"It would seem so. They do appear to be the result of the seeds being force fed magical energy." Amy's nonchalant attitude put him on edge. Looking about the room he could see the same sense of dread dripping bit by bit off his team. Everyone kept their eyes focused in front of them on the screen, but occasionally they would dart to and fro on the crew. In contrast to the thieves whose anxiety was slowly building by the second, the crew seemingly remained placid.

"That seems like it would take a lot of magical power then," Ren added, hoping what he was saying would nudge the conversation towards what he wanted.

Silence filled the room as his statement was not so much ignored as let past without additional comment. There should have been a signal. Lindy should have said something to them about deployment or orders. And yet nothing was being said. They continued to apathetically watch the events unfold as Fate continued to weather the storm. He eyed his team. Each of them wearing nervous expressions as they either continued to watch Fate struggle to seal the six seeds after expending so much of her energy finding them, or on the crew that seemed to be doing nothing. Nanoha for her part watched, her eyes betraying her sadness at the events that unfolded before her, how Fate was get beaten and battered by the Seeds. He had to make a decision, and it had to be made now. He couldn't let it happen again.

He gave the signal to Futaba to ready it.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

Lightning struck once more. Her body flinched as her eyes shut to block the light. The sound reverberated through her body, shaking her focus and weakening her hold on her magic. She composed herself, ignoring the biting cold rain that poured over her. She then forced herself to move as the water surrounding the seeds lurched forward again towards her. She felt the attack nick her foot just a tad, but it was luckily nothing more than a slight abrasion. However, she then found herself in an awkward position as more attacks came as a tornado from another seed sent lightning her way. Practically flinging her body out of the way, she dodged the strikes, but just barely.

She attempted another attack, sending an Arc Saber at one of them which managed to disrupt it for a moment, only for the other seeds to attack in the lull. She pulled away to avoid the coming onslaught. She stopped in the air to catch her breath, her breathing heavy and rasped. The dull ache of exhaustion coursed through her body. She heard a crackling by her side to find that Bardiche was having trouble maintaining its scythe blade, which brought her own breathing and lack of energy to her attention. Thing weren't looking good, but even so, she had to continue.

This was it. This would make mother happy. This would make everything back to normal. She kept repeating it to herself. Over and over. At this point, in her mind, it had to. There wasn't any other way. Yet even so, dread filled her as she saw the six Jewel Seeds shine once more. She swallowed down the words that she wanted to say with everything she had, because there wasn't anyone to hear them.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"Lindy, when are we moving out?" Ren asked, breaking the silence that seemed to pervade the room. He waited for a moment, but it became clear to him that he wasn't going to get answer anytime soon, and the one he would probably get he knew he wouldn't like. He still at the very least had to try though. He looked back at the main monitor. He scowled as he watched Fate's condition worsen under the tumultuous storm. He didn't have much time, or patience left. The time to act was coming soon whether he liked it or not.

Nanoha's eyes threw themselves between Lindy and Ren. Before she herself could, Ren asked the question she wanted to. As if Fate wasn't enough to worry about, the way both Ren and Lindy's eyes narrowed piled on even more anxiety in her heart. The warm motherly gaze that Lindy display just the other day had been replaced by a cold, hardened look. She became fearful of what that gaze meant in conjunction with the lack of orders to deploy.

Ren's gaze however? Disappointment. That's what Nanoha thought when she looked at Ren's eyes. He looked betrayed and disappointed by what he saw. Nanoha had never seen him look so resigned before. Sure, he appeared calm, but looking into his eyes she knew that he was saddened by what he was seeing; her ears, she noticed, picking up on the sigh that escaped his lips. Then his eyes seemed to move every which way, faster than she could keep track of. He was calmer, as if focused on something else. How could he be focused on anything else right now, especially since they weren't doing anything but watching Fate getting hurt? She understood the need to do something right now, a feeling that she shared and desperately wanted to fulfill no matter what, but she couldn't help but be confused as to what Ren was doing. It was easy for her to see that he was planning something again, but just what exactly?

"Lindy, when are we moving out?" He asked once more, just as calm, if not more so than the last time. And then he waited. He waited for an answer. The thunder and rain from the monitor punctuated every second of the silence Lindy gave him. The benefit of doubt he was giving her was slowly chipping away, piece by piece as his eyes continued to watch the girl he'd promised to protect continue to struggle. He swallowed down his urge to raise his voice. "Lindy, just give me an answer."

"There isn't a need to move out," Chrono answered him instead. Everyone's focus whipped towards the boy who continued to watch the events, unperturbed by the sudden attention. "Even if we don't do anything, that girl will die on her own. And even if she doesn't die, and in fact succeeds in sealing the seeds, all we need to do is attack while she's exhausted. Begin preparations to capture the Jewel Seeds."

"We… must always choose the best option. It may seem cruel, but this is reality," Lindy coldly stated as Chrono began to work with the crew on the now stated plan without so much as even a hint of hesitation. The thieves stood still as the crew began to move around them, all of them trying to hide their expressions. Some of them held grim expressions, others scowled. They had their orders, but it was difficult to keep themselves contained, as at least more than one of them wanted to lash out. However, they remained quiet; placid, but seething under a thin exterior. It was easy to do so, given that such a feeling wasn't at all new to them.

"Reality, huh?" Nanoha could faintly hear what Ren mumbled to himself. She turned to him, still shocked over what she had just heard, to find that he held a most complicated expression that was parts amused, angry, disbelieving, and so many more emotions that she couldn't name. She didn't know if it was because she was still to young to name them, or if it was because there may have been no name for his turbulent combination. "So that's what you call it?" Perhaps his voice had been too soft, or maybe he wasn't even looking to be answered back. Regardless the captain didn't seem to react to his little remark. She remained sitting as if unaware of his presence. Ren took a deep breath, calming his nerves, and ridding himself of his anger. It would only get in the way of what needed to be done. "What a joke. If that's how it is, then it's time for me to play may hand. Yuuno! Futaba!"

"Right!" A flash of white light appeared behind them, casting the rest of the deck in shadow.

"Execute!" At Futaba's remark, all screens save for the main one that had Fate displayed all had shut down. Only a second later the screens fired up again, this time blood red with the trademark symbol of the thieves on full display on every monitor laughing at the crew as they tried to get in after getting over the initial shock.

"I can't get in!"

"What is this?"

"Captain, the systems been taken over. We can't access anything!"

"What's goi-" Lindy was interrupted as she heard magic activate behind her. As she turned around, she saw Ren facing Nanoha, and behind them a portal to Earth. The other thieves were consumed by azure flames as they each transformed. Skull, Panther, and Fox raised their guns as Queen and Noir made for the portal. Mona on the other hand stood by Oracle as she continued to mess with the Arthra's systems. And in the middle of all of it was those two, in their own little world.

"You want to save her right?" Ren asked Nanoha, ignoring the scene around them as his friends moved to their designated spots as ordered earlier. Unlike his friends, he hadn't yet transformed. "You still have things you want to say to her, don't you?"

"But Ren, this is-"

"You see, Nanoha, I have this problem where I can't simply stand by and let someone get hurt, knowing full well I can do something about it. Even if that lands me in more trouble than its worth, I won't regret doing what I think is right, no matter who or what is in my way. If you want to stay here and obey orders, then you're free to do so, but…" Ren then stood to the side, providing Nanoha a free path to the portal. "If you're anything like me, don't be afraid to do what your heart tells you and make that into reality." Nanoha looked back to the screen that displayed Fate struggling to seal the remaining Jewel Seeds, her wounds had worsened, and it didn't seem like things were going to improve. And if nothing was done, it would become the worst possible outcome.

Reality… The reality in front of her was that someone her age, someone who shouldn't be out there in such a terrible battle, was in danger of dying. She could do as ordered and just stand there, but then she probably wouldn't be able to forgive herself. She'd regret it for the rest of her life if she just let Fate die without doing anything. She had so much she wanted to talk to her about, so much she wanted to say. But she couldn't do that if she let Fate die. Ren was right, she just had to listen to her own heart. Nothing else mattered more. Her eyes hardened as she gave Ren a firm nod and stood tall.

"Then Nanoha Takamichi is ignoring orders and taking independent action! Nanoha Takamichi moving out!" She caught a glimpse of Ren's smile, proud and firm, as she darted past him, and straight to the portal, her hesitation and reservations completely discarded. Now wasn't the time to quibble over the small things. What mattered now was to do what she thought was right. It was time to save Fate, just as she swore to do. Before anyone could say anything else, her body disappeared into the portal, sending her right back to Earth.

"Well, I better get going too," Ren said as he leisurely strolled towards the portal, his body becoming engulfed in flames as he finally transformed. In a way a person might have found it insulting. Here he'd just instigated a mini mutiny and yet there he was just pacing about like it was a Sunday stroll. "You know what to do. Just like I said." Joker signaled to his friends who were staying behind as he stood near the exit, still as lackadaisical as before.

"Of course! You can count on us!" Skull said, pumping his shotgun for good measure to get the point across to the crew of the Arthra.

"Be careful down there." Panther cracked her whip before squeezing it tightly in her hands for the same reason as skull.

"Hopefully no one here will be so distasteful as to actually get in our way." Though he hadn't drawn his katana, Fox kept his eye on Chrono, on the look out for any sudden movements the boy may have. "I'd hate to have to once again, waste my blade on more worthless objects."

"Well luckily I'd like to believe the crew here are at least smarter than that." Morgana's slingshot looked silly, but none of the Arthra's members wanted to be in its line of fire after having seen its accuracy and power over the past few days. Laughing was much harder to do when one had either lead balls lodged in their body, or gaping holes.

"Joker! The clocks ticking. Just leave this to us!" Oracle gave the final push, and in response, Joker finally decided to make his getaway, following the others that had gone on earlier.

"Stay safe! Yuuno let's go!" He said with his trademarked grin as he bid his friends well before he and Yuuno, who followed quickly behing, disappeared into the portal, which itself evaporated into the ether, leaving the remaining thieves behind to do what they were ordered to do. Silence pervaded the room as none of the Arthra's crew knew what to do, and the thieves themselves remained stoic and still. At this moment, the crew realized that the thieves lived up to their more unlawful nature, as currently the situation had turned into one not unlike a hostage situation.

Sweat formed on Lindy's brow. It wasn't a hard hostage situation, but they were being held at gunpoint nonetheless. Each of them, Skull, Morgana, Fox, and Panther had powerful area spells that could easily wipe the floor with them, thanks to their lack of Barrier Jackets. Combined with their astonishing cast speed thanks to them being Persona users, they were at a major disadvantage to say the least. That isn't even mentioning Oracle's takeover of the Arthra's systems which left the ship in complete disarray. She looked over to find Amy silently trying to get through Oracle's control. But she hadn't been made captain just for show. Lindy had a plan, but she needed just a bit more time for Amy t-

"Phew…" The tension snapped at Skull's sigh that filled the room. "Man RenRen, what a crazy ass plan. I don't know how much longer I could have kept that up. Still not used to receiving orders via telepathy either." One by one, the thieves that stayed behind, lowered their weapons before returning to their civilian clothes in flash of blue. "We surrender." On cue, they all held their hands and paws up. It took a moment for Lindy to connect the dots as to what had happened, but once it did, she still didn't have proper words to express herself. She could only express herself in the most eloquent manner possible.

"What?"

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

The yacht tore through tumultuous the waters as the storm continued to rage. Despite its luxury, Noir certainly picked a sturdy ride that lived up to the price in more than just its small amenities. Though it was being rocked considerably, it stayed afloat, avoiding the worst scenario of capsizing, much to the amazement and assurance of those on board. Joker internally thanked the fact that Noir had come by when she did, and that she was rich enough to have the yacht in the first place. Looking out the window, they were now quite a ways away from shore, the city growing ever smaller.

"How much longer?" Joker yelled over the roar of the engine and storm that penetrated the usually otherwise soundproof room.

"We're almost there!" Yuuno answered, only for the boat to rock heavily to and fro. "Woah! Is everything okay?" Yuuno readjusted himself after getting tossed a bit, as had the rest of those onboard.

"Just some turbulence!" Queen replied as she tried to move the steering wheel back into place. "Noir how's it looking?"

"It's still okay!" Noir observed the various meters in place on the yacht's controls to make sure everything was still fine. "This one was made to last, so it should be able to whether this kind of storm. We will probably be able to avoid capsizing for now, but if it gets worse, I can't guarantee what will happen then!"

"There! I see her!" Nanoha cried as she pointed out the window and at a yellow-black dot in the sky. Sure enough, it was Fate, though it was still tough to see from the distance they were at. Regardless, they were happy to have finally gotten to her.

"Perfect! Noir, Queen, let's keep the yacht here. Nanoha, we'll leave the rest to you," Joker commanded swiftly after confirming that it was indeed Fate.

"What are you guys going to do?" Yuuno asked, as he checked his equipment over once more to make sure it was in working order.

"Well we can't exactly fly, now can we? We'll support you from down here with whatever we can. Just let us know and head back if you need healing or anything of the sort," Joker explained to Nanoha and Yuuno, who both nodded in affirmation of his orders. "Nanoha."

"Uh, Yes!" She yelped in surprise as her body turned stood ramrod stiff as Joker knelt down to meet with her at eye level. Managing to take off his mask without summoning his Persona, he gave her his softest smile. Nanoha's heart calmed down as she took in his expression, making her realize just how fast it had been beating for a while now.

"Nerves getting to you? Can't blame you for that one." He chuckled a bit at her expense. As usual he always seemed so blasé about things even in the direst of circumstances. She found that, rather than be annoyed by his impropriety, she felt assured, like things would be okay so long as he was around. Afterall, if he wasn't worried, why should she be? However, then his expression turned more serious, her own posture stiffening even further.

"This is it." He started again, his tone being nothing like the one before, this one far less jovial, and feeling heavier. "This time it's your show; you're the star." He said as he put his hand on her shoulder. "Despite that, just do it like you always do, and you'll be fine. You've gotten strong over these past few months, you can do this. I know you can. Go. Save Fate, just like you promised. I'll be right behind you every step of the way, so don't be afraid to give it everything you got, okay?" It was the same voice he used whenever he told her of something important. She knew it thanks to his past words of encouragement being one of the things she kept close to heart.

"Thank you, Ren. Knowing that you'll have my back makes me feel a bit safer. Though you didn't have to tell me most of that. I believe in myself too!" She returned his smile with her best impression of his impish grin, causing the young man to raise in eyebrow in amusement.

"Hey, that's mine," He said as he moved his hand from her shoulder to her head, ruffling her hair a bit.

"Says the thief. Maybe I should take the time to try and save you too after Fate, before you do something really bad," She said as she let her hair continue to get messed up.

"I'd like to see you try. Oh, by the way, here. Just this into the air when you're near Fate." Ren handed Nanoha two beautiful chains of beads that rattled as they fell into her hands. "Use one of these to heal her. I'm sure she can use it. The other one's for just in case things go south."

"Thanks Ren, I'll be sure to use one."

"Are you done with your pep talk?" Queen asked as she continued to keep an eye on the storm outside. "Sorry to interrupt you, but I think your next appointment is getting a bit… testy."

"R-Right!" Nanoha answered as Ren put his mask back on and that soft smile returned to the cocky smirk she'd become, not just accustomed to, but come to genuinely like. He didn't say anything, but that glance, the one she knew would watch over her, helped to set her heart afire. She can do this. She was ready. "Yuuno, let's go!" She commanded, deciding to take the proverbial stage given to her. She flew out the door and into the sky.

"Right behind you!" Yuuno followed right on her tail.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha cried as she flew towards the blonde.

"You!" Fate cried, she tried to raise Bardiche to prep an attack only for her arms to give up halfway. Despite the weakness permeating her arms, she continued to struggle to raise her staff. This was the worst possible scenario. She was weakened, had no back up, and the Seeds were still raging. Escape was not an option. Mother wouldn't allow it. Even if it cost Fate her life, she had to fight. She had t-

"Seal Support!" Fate heard from the distance as green magical chains flew towards the water tornadoes that held the seeds, constricting each of them. That distracted Fate long enough that she didn't realize that Nanoha had gotten so close. She glared at her fellow magical girl. This wasn't going to be her end. Whatever Nanoha had planned, she was ready.

"Please help me! I'm not here to fight you! Let's stop the Jewel Seeds, together!" Raising Heart's jewel at the staff head glowed a pink color before Fate had a chance to say anything. A stream of magical energy connected itself between it and Bardiche's Jewel. Within moments, Bardiche's Scythe, which had gone out not a few minutes ago, suddenly sparked back to life.

" _Power Restored."_

" _Resupply Complete."_ The devices said one after the other. Fate eyed her device, feeling the magical energy coursing through her and giving her some manner of relief, but she was still losing blood from the wounds she'd incurred trying to seal the six Jewel Seeds alone.

"Oh right! Hmm… I guess just toss it up?" Fate heard what sounded like beads getting thrown. She looked to find Nanoha in a gesture that suggested that she was the source of the noise. Looking up, she was only able to catch a glimpse of some glowing white object that soon shattered like glass before she could understand what exactly was flung above her. A moment later, a white light surrounded the two of them. Fate felt her wounds close, and her fatigue fade immediately. The aches in her muscles had gone, and the sharp stings all over her body no longer plagued her consciousness; her mind clearing as the pain receded into nothing. "Yuuno's got them under control for the moment. Now's our chance! If we do it together, we can get it all in one go! We'll seal them on my count!" Nanoha didn't wait for Fate's reply, instead opting to get firing range, dodging and weaving between what strikes the chained seeds could still fire.

" _Shooting Form"_ Raising Heart transformed as Nanoha got into stance, beginning to charge magical energy. Fate floated still in the air there, unsure of what to do. On the one hand, Nanoha wasn't wrong. This was the chance she needed, the hope she was waiting for to arrive. In the moment of reflection, she realized that a feeling of relief had encompassed her, its source being Nanoha's arrival, the arrival of a… But no, she couldn't. She had a duty… she had to…

" _Sealing Form, set up."_

"Bardiche…" The device interrupted her thoughts. It was right, now was not the time for hesitation. The chains on the seeds wouldn't last, given how much that boy mage was struggling.

"Divine Buster, full power," she commanded as a pink magic circle expanded at her feet, energy gathering at Raising Heart's tip, forming wings of light at the front of the staff. Alongside that, Fate followed neither a word or resistance; a yellow magical circle just as large forming at her own location. Thunder crackled, and wind howled, the effects of the drawn magic clashed against the storm wrought by the seeds. More and more, the two focused the energy into their respective devices, aiming to do just as they had said. Right on cue, the two finished preparing their spells. Nanoha began the countdown.

"One… Two…"

"Thunder!"

"Divine!"

"RAGE!"

"BUSTER!"

Lightning fell from above even the storm, striking each Jewel Seed in a torrent of magical electricity. The seeds seemed to freeze in place as the magic took hold of them, preventing their movement and interfering with their own magic. Only a moment later a pink shining light flashed on by, ripping through space with a deafening roar as it flew right into their midst's. Nanoha's Divine Buster also impacted with Fate's Thunder Rage. The two spells seemed to bend against one another, tugging at the very realities they occupied until finally, they mixed. Pink mixed with Yellow, magic reacted with magic, and a white light in the middle of it all expanded outward, and with it a force the likes of which the sea surrounding would never forget, blowing everything in its vicinity away in what could only be called spectacular fashion as it commanded the attention of all in attendance.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"We've got confirmation, the six Jewel Seeds have been sealed!" Amy reported as she continued reading the battle.

"What an absurd…" Chrono couldn't finish his muttering still taken aback by the display.

"Amazing…" Lindy whispered as she also couldn't believe what she saw.

"Woohoo! Yeah!" Ryuji cheered, the first one to do so in the tied-up state the thieves were in.

"Alright!" Ann also joined in despite the discomfort. The lot of them had been detained, sitting on the floor of the deck in cuffs, only being allowed to watch the proceedings as there wasn't any time to put them in proper cells.

"A beautiful display, truly wonderful."

"That's how it's done, magical girls of course have to get along!"

"And to think she'd only started just a few months ago…" The rest of the deck remained silent as they continued to watch the screen, their eyes unable to look anywhere else.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"Is it over?" Noir asked as the rocking stopped, and all had become silent. They had to make a break for it, pulling in the opposite direction before the explosion caught up to them. Though Nanoha, Fate, and Yuuno would be fine thanks to their flight, the thieves on the other hand were not so lucky. They were only barely able to make it out of the blast zone. Not their closest call, but all on board certainly were not up for an encore any time soon.

"Seems like it, the storms still raging, but it's just heavy rain now and should fade naturally in time," Queen said as she looked out the windows. "Looks like our little magical girl did it," she said as a smile of relief entered from the edges of her lips.

"No rest for the wicked," Joker began as he got out of his set, all ready to get right back into the fray. "We've got to get back to support her and Yuuno." He was met with tired but steady nods by his fellow thieves.

"Right, our jobs not over yet." Noir perked up, readying herself and checking the Yacht's status, flipping a few switches and looking about. "We're good to go, we've got enough fuel and I don't believe we were damaged in the explosion. Ready whenever you are Queen!"

"Right! Let's go!" Queen, in a display of her practice, turned the yacht around with ease and proceeded to return to where Nanoha was. Once in transit, Joker sat back down, turning his phone on, and eyeing something on the screen.

"Got a promise to keep…" he said under his breath.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

Nanoha and Fate hung in the air, looking at one another, breathing heavily after such heavy use of magic. A pillar of light from the ocean shot up between the two, taking their attention from one another. As the light shined, six twinkling jewels rose up from the waters, rising and rising until they found purchase in the air between the two girls.

"Fate-chan, I want to understand you." Nanoha's voice caught Fate's attention. As always it confused Fate as to why Nanoha always looked at her with such a solemn expression. No matter how much they had clashed, Nanoha never looked at her with hate, or anger. "I want to understand you, to talk to you."

"I'm sorry." She was almost surprised by that, how automatic that response was, and how much she meant it. To be understood? That sounded… wonderful, she realized. It sounded wonderful to be able to have someone else understand what she was going through, her thoughts and feelings. The more she pondered on it, the more wonderful it became. But, was it more wonderful than her kind mother? Her mind couldn't come up with an answer. She realized that's why she apologized.

"Arf's with us by the way." Fate's eyes shot wide open, and her breath staggered. "She's healed and resting on the Arthra right now." A feeling of relief fell over her to hear that she was alive. That mother's words were… wrong…

"Thank you…"

"It's nothing, just… you won't leave? You don't have to listen to her. You can come with us." There it was again, that offer, an offer that Fate didn't adamantly refuse, but not necessarily one she might have wanted either. No, what she wanted was plain and simple. She wanted her mother back. She was sure that was what she wanted. "I see, so that's how it will be. Fate-chan?"

"Huh?"

"I want us to start for real. I don't think you and I have really ever actually started, so let's make a wager."

"A wager?" Fate's eyes narrowed as her mind wandered about over that word and what it could possibly mean.

"Let's have our final battle, right here, right now, where the winner gets all the Jewel Seeds." Fate became surprised for the umpteenth time. A wager for all the seeds? The seeds mother wanted? It sounded too good to be true, and yet there in Nanoha's eyes, Fate saw not even the smallest ounce of hesitation, not even the smallest twinge of deception. Nanoha was telling the truth.

" _Put Out."_ Both of their devices simultaneously released a pale glow before producing their stored seeds, which then floated above the two mages, waiting for a winner to be decided.

"Bardiche?" She hadn't ordered her device to do that, and yet here it was, performing autonomous actions. "I see. Then let's settle this once and for all." She couldn't let this opportunity pass her by. This was it, her last chance to make things right, to make her mother just like before.

" _Put out!_ " Both devices declared at once, releasing all the Jewel Seeds all at once, before they flew into the sky to await the winner of their duel. The wager had been made, now all that was left was to start the battle. The two, after confirming the Seeds having left the vicinity, turned back to look at one another. Nanoha felt words bubbling up from her throat but swallowed it down. She'd have time later for them. For now, action was what she needed. Fate for her part didn't have anything she wanted to say. She had nothing to say. Thoughts of her mother continued to plague her mind, but she believed they would lead her to victory. They had to, and now was the time to prove it… but to whom? The air between them became heavy as their focus on one another increased ever so much, looking for even the slightest twitch in the other, an opening to take advantage of. This was it.

At nearly the same time, the two broke away from each other, setting up premade magic spheres that orbited them, ready to fire at a moment's notice; Fate's yellow to Nanoha's pink. The two, perhaps anxious, did not give either the chance to breathe as they both immediately went on the offensive.

"Fire!"

"Shoot!"

Their magic fired near simultaneously, a couple of shots colliding at the middle, but the lion's share speeding past each other to make their way towards their respective targets. Fate opted for a defensive measure in response, flying back to evade the shots that homed in on her position, flying every which way in order to shake them off, but with only minimal success. She found herself having to constantly retreat under the assault. Nanoha on the other hand noticed this, deciding to instead actively evade each on coming attack by flying past each with a well-timed dodge around each magic bolt that came her way, eventually finding herself unbidden and free to pursue.

Once she'd gotten the distance she needed, Fate turned around, placing Bardiche in front of her and projecting a barrier, blocking all the shots and sending them scattering like glass in a flurry of light and ear-piercing screeching. As the light of Nanoha's attack faded, Nanoha had already made her way towards Fate, more Divine Shots at the ready, much to Fate's annoyance.

"Shoot!" Nanoha cried again, sending more magic Fate's way.

" _Scythe Form!_ " Bardiche lit up as Fate flew straight towards the attacks this time rather than away. Before the attack could make contact though, Fate swung, completely destroying the magic attack, and then she swung again, and again, and again; each swipe rendering Nanoha's Magic worthless. With a final swing of her scythe, Fate reoriented herself and zoomed right on in to Nanoha's position, her speed allowing her to close the distance without delay. Though she was shocked for a moment, Nanoha quickly regained herself, holding a hand out in front of her in response.

" _Round Shield!_ " Only just barely in time, A magic circle appeared in front of Nanoha, catching Fate's Attack as their contact caused sparks to fly as the two magics grinded against one another in attempt to supplant the other. The sound of something flying flitted in Fate's ears as she noticed Nanoha struggling in an unusual manner. Instinctually she stopped her attack on Nanoha to turn around and quickly project a shield. Within only a second a pink blast flew right into her fortification, kicking up dust and light in the process. She turned back to Nanoha immediately after, only to find the girl gone. She looked all about her, trying to look for the other magical girl, but to no avail as the white clad girl had seemingly disappeared.

" _Flash Move!_ "

"Raaaaaaargh!" Fate whipped her orientation to look above her to finally find her opponent, now flying right at her with her staff poised to strike. Her speed wasn't at Fate's level, but regardless she had no time for anything but to raise Bardiche to block. More sparks flew as the two staves made impact and continued to do so as Fate and Nanoha pressed them against the other.

"Haaaaa!"

"Yaaaah!" A giant burst of magic and light exploded with them at the center once their magic finally reached critical mass, causing the ocean to tremble beneath them, blotting out even the sun that peaked behind the clouds that were beginning to part. Nanoha shielded her eyes in the blast, only to reopen them after she realized that Fate had disengaged using the cover of light like a flash bang.

" _Scythe Slash!_ "

Nanoha banked to the side as the light finally died down, the ribbon over her heart getting slashed in half as she made to retreat away from Fate. She realized that while she had the advantage in long range, the tables turned at melee, something she suspected Fate also figured out as well. But as she turned around, she found herself surrounded by pre-set magic spheres like at the beginning of their duel, probably set up during the flash. In what time she had, she brought up a small shield, deflecting the shots rather than outright blocking them due to what little power she was able to get for it in the interim. Each attack that bounced off her shield was sent into the ocean where they kicked up water upon impact.

Nanoha brought the shield down, eyeing Fate as she tried to catch her breath. Fate too made sure to not take her eyes off Nanoha, also exhausted and gasping for air. Fate couldn't believe it, but this amateur, in only a few months, was able to reach her level. She realized that she'd used too much magic so far and that she needed to end this now if she wanted to win. Hesitation would only spell doom for her.

"What the?" Nanoha watched patiently as several yellow magic circles one after the other materialized and then dissipated in rapid succession. She found herself constantly looking all around herself unsure of what it was that was happening.

" _Phalanx Shift!_ " Nanoha heard Bardiche say as the magical circles also stopped appearing. She turned her attention to Fate as a large number of magic spheres far surpassing any amount summoned before, encircled the black clad magical girl with more appearing by the second.

"I won't-" Before Nanoha could raise her staff, her left hand jumped out of her control becoming stuck in place above her as a magic ring cuffed itself around her wrist with a magic circle supporting it. Then another appeared on her right, then they appeared at her ankles. Nanoha realized that, like Ren in his duel with Chrono, this was a binding spell.

"Lightning Bind!" Fate murmured to herself, confirming Nanoha's suspicions.

"Nanoha-chan, let me help you!" Yuuno sent telepathically. "You-"

"No, don't interfere! This is my fight! There's no meaning if other people get in the way!" She fired back before Yuuno had a chance to finish.

"Just let her have this one, she's giving it all she's got," Joker interjected without warning. Nanoha frantically whipped her head down to see the yacht in one piece, with Ren standing at the bow, looking back at her with his usual smirk. She realized that she'd lost track of the boat in the middle of the earlier chaos but was happy to see that he and the others were okay. "It's bad form to end a show in the middle of the good part."

"Thank you again, Ren. I'll beat Fate-chan, just watch me!" She hardened herself for the oncoming attack as Yuuno and Joker silently acquiesced to her wishes, one more willing to do so than the other. The magic around Fate became more and more dense as she continued her incantation. All Nanoha could do was watch as the space around Fate seemed to distort magic concentrated around.

"Arukus Kurutus Aegias. Swift Wind, Come to me now! Bareru Zarureru Brahzeru. Photon Lancer. Phalanx Shift. SMASH!" With a point of her finger, the concentrated spheres of magic, now crackling at the seams, sped forward towards their target, assaulting Nanoha from all sides as they exploded one by one once they reached their destination. The onslaught continued without pause as Fate kept the attack up for several seconds, sending more and more attacks towards her helpless opponent. A tiny gasp escaped Fate's lips as her eyes shut, both from strain and sadness.

This was it. With this… she'll have won. As the last of her gathered magic was sent flying, the attack slowed, and the density thinned until it finally ended. A few magic shots remained at her side, but they were only a mere fraction compared to the amount from just before. With what remained, she gathered them to her hand as the dust began to settle, coalescing them into a single, final shot.

"You know, the binds disappeared when you fired just earlier." Nanoha floated in the air, dispelling her magic shield as the last bits of dust flitted away. A bit shaken, scratched, and a few markings where the magic had struck where visible on her barrier jacket, but her smile hadn't faded. "Now it's my turn!"

" _Divine Buster!_ "

As a solid pink beam of light shot out of Raising Heart's head, Fate threw the last dredges of her magic that remained. The two crashed into one another, but Fate's attack was swallowed whole by Nanoha's, continuing with only the most insubstantial of resistance.

"Dammit!" Fate gasped as she put up her own shield to brave the attack. Her body shook as the Nanoha's magic made impact and an incredible force pushed against her with winds roaring all around her as light the light of the attack blinded her. "If she can withstand it, so can I!" She told herself as she poured more magic to stave off the assault. The force of the attack proved itself formidable as her barrier jacket tore, starting with the glove that held the shield up and then the more ancillary parts such as the cape and hem of her skirt. Even so, she held on, until finally, the pressure lightened bit by bit, the light began to die, and her sight cleared of magic. Her hand fell once the attack ended, her throat drinking in the air to replace what had been lost. Her magic was mostly gone, but Nanoha's had to have been in a similar state after such an attack. Once she'd recovered, she'd fly in for the final strike. But something shining above her caught her eye.

In the sky, Nanoha held her staff aloft, shining brighter than the sun in a soft pink glow, and a giant magic circle, bigger than any Fate had seen before at her feet.

"I hope you can take this! It's a variation of Divine Buster!" She declared as the magic circle grew ever larger and the light ever brighter.

" _Starlight Breaker!_ " Raising Heart so named the spell, in doing so gathering magic in an inconceivable amount that Nanoha couldn't have had after using Divine Buster. Fate looked around as she saw the ambient, used up mana from the fight so far, fly towards the spell's center gathering together at a single point. She realized that all the magic they'd used up so far was now being repurposed for this spell. Nanoha didn't need to use anymore of her own magic for this attack. If that was the case then she had to move now, except she found that her arms and feet were frozen in place.

"A Bind!?" She looked down to see the same spell she used not a few moments ago now being used on her, most likely placed during the Divine Buster spell when she couldn't see. Fate struggled as best she could, pushing and pulling against the magic rings that held her limbs in place trying to break free. She had to break free, if she didn't it was over. She couldn't take a strike like that head on.

"This is the best I got, Fate! This is everything I have! STARLIGHT BREAKER!" Fate watched in horror as the spell Nanoha held loosed itself forward, exploding in a single streak of pink light that raced towards her, the fear preventing her from struggling against her binds any further. She was engulfed without mercy as the spell tore through the air and consumed her. Flying past her, it even struck the ocean below, kicking up an even more fearsome torrent of water than the Jewel Seeds had just some time before.

Eventually though, the spell faded, flickering out of existence and the waters calmed as the onslaught ended. Nanoha's own flight magic at her feet struggling to maintain itself as it faded in an out of existence. Fate herself remained in the air, if only because of the binds, but those too stopped working and then she fell.

"Fate!" Nanoha flew down after as Fate crashed into the water, and she also dove into the water, grabbing her and Bardiche before she fell too far and the immediately rose up to the surface, bringing them back into the sky as Nanoha held Fate in her arms. "I'm sorry, Are you okay?" Fate could only nod, in response to at least let her know that she wasn't too badly hurt.

"I guess this means I won."

"So, it would seem." The Jewel Seeds that had made their roost in the sky from before, floated back down until they rested around the two of them like twinkling stars. Fate could feel her face drop into a frown. She failed mother. She looked at the seeds with sadness, knowing that her last chance had gone with them. Nanoha saw this, the sadness in Fate's eyes that looked as if all hope had faded from her life. Nanoha had to say something, and now there was no better time to do so, to let Fate know what she really wanted to say.

"Watch out!" A voice rang in Nanoha's head as a she took the warning to heart and looked above. The sky had darkened all of a sudden in the distance and the space around it looked warped and distorted. Without warning a massive bolt of lightning shot out from the distortion in space, heading straight for the two of them. Unable to move from both exhaustion and from holding onto Fate, she pulled the girl in her arms away, placing herself between the attack and the blonde girl.

"Yoshitsune!" A samurai flew past the two girls and caught the spell at the end of one of its two swords with a distinct sound of resonating glass, but with no target in sight, the redirected spell simply flew back into the empty void. Once it was clear another strike was not coming, the Persona faded away in a puff of azure flame and smoke.

"Ren!" Nanoha cried in relief as she saw Joker's confident smirk as usual from the bow of the yacht, only for it to morph into one of alert as a different voice made itself known.

"Interesting," Precia's voice boomed from beyond. "But it is not a matter worth considering at the moment." Without warning, the loose seeds flew into the warped space above.

"The seeds!" Nanoha tried to begin a pursuit but found herself too exhausted alongside herself currently being encumbered by an unconscious Fate.

" _Capture!"_ Raising Heart's Jewel glowed as it took some of the seeds back against Precia's magic.

"Fine, you can take those!" Precia's voice declared as she loosened her grasp on about half of the seeds. A cough also resounded from the void, but none could discern why, and neither did they have the time to. They could only watch as the seeds Nanoha couldn't retrieve flew into the void and disappeared beyond sight.

"Nanoha, Ren, Return to the Arthra this instant!" Nanoha and company heard from the magic telecom. Lindy appeared simultaneously next to all parties. "That attack we've confirmed was from Precia Testarossa. You are to return to the ship ASAP."

"What about the Jewel Seeds?" Joker asked.

"We can worry about that later! We've got a trace on her and we might need you ready for whatever's after! Start the warp now!"

"Well, let's get this over with…" Joker let out remorsefully as he along with Noir, Queen, and Yuuno too, became basked in a glowing light.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

The humming of the Arthra's engine and air circulation unit were the only sounds to fill the room. Nanoha stood with her face downcast, nervous like a dear in headlights as. Ren on the other hand stood with his head held high, shameless and proud. The two couldn't have looked any more different in Lindy's eyes, not helped by their clothing not only being white and black respectively, but also that Nanoha was still in her mostly white school uniform while Ren was in his casual black shirt over white and slacks. Though she entertained the thought for a moment, she quickly dispelled it in order to focus on the task at hand. Now wasn't the time for jokes.

"I… was going to begin by speaking of the importance of directives and orders, and how they're used to not only protect the individual, but the group as a whole. However, I am more at a loss over your little stunt." It was difficult to miss how Lindy's eyes trained themselves on Ren, all but boring a hole through his skull, and yet he didn't seem the least bit affected. Of course, it did have an effect, in that he seemed to become ever more emboldened with each passing moment he was under her scrutiny, much to her ire. "You not only disobeyed orders but also held the crew hostage and took over the Arthra's systems, paralyzing it for a short period of time. Any one of these acts are liable to send you straight to prison." Lindy tried to maintain a clam professional tone, made easier by experience, but her emotions were still on edge. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Not my best plan," Ren gave a weak shrug.

"Excuse me?"

"I didn't have a lot of time to come up with it. I was just lucky that you guys let Futaba run around your systems, and hey, it's not like anyone got hurt, right? It was part of the plan to have them stand down since you guys are supposed to have a veneer of justice and protection and all that jazz. Not only that, we managed to get more info out of the ordeal, got a trace on where our target is, and neutralized Fate's involvement without _casualty_." Ren's emphasis on a particular word did not go unnoticed by Lindy, an inaudible sigh escaping her lips.

"Still, you had your orders to-"

"Let a little girl die alone. Oh, were you trying to sugar coat it some more?"

"Ren!" Nanoha cried as the young man's aggression was coming through. She tugged on his sleeve to try and grab his attention, only for him to gently shove her hand away. He gave her an aside glance, a small apologetic smile also thrown her way, before it disappeared, replaced by a smirk of contempt.

"That's-"

"What did Chrono say? I don't exactly remember, but I think it was something about letting her get herself killed or something like that. Forgive me if I don't like remembering details that make me sick to my stomach." Chrono wasn't in the room, currently guarding the other Thieves and Yuuno as a precaution but only in the loosest sense as he was only watching them as they sat and ate in the cafeteria. "Honestly, what kind of peace keeping organization thinks that its acceptable to do nothing and let a child die because it's 'the best option'? Heck what kind of people do you have to be to even consider that the best option? Then again, I guess it makes sense. If you have no problems bringing kids into your military, then I guess you also don't have problems killing them either." A slam punctuated the end of Ren's sentence. On the far end of the room, Lindy's fist could be seen atop the desk, trembling just the slightest bit.

"The… The TSAB only brings into the fold those who are capable of what the TSAB demands. It doesn't matter your age, creed, race, gender, if you have the will, desire, and ability, the TSAB welcomes you without hesitation." Lindy tried to collect herself, but the sweat on her brow and the small quivering of her body told a different story. "Those who enter the service do so of their own volition, and children on Administrated worlds do on average tend to mature earlier than those on non-Administrated worlds based on scientific survey's officially conducted by the Bureau."

"So that's your justification for being able to discard people at a young age? I mean sure, whatever helps you sleep at night, and honestly, I don't know enough about kids that are from your worlds to be able to state otherwise. Perhaps they are mature enough to be treated like adults there, I can believe that for the time being and will give you at least that much of the benefit of doubt. However," Ren began as he walked up to the desk Lindy was sitting at.

"What I saw out there was someone desperate for help, someone backed into a corner by forces out of her control, that trapped them in a place she believed she couldn't leave, even when a better place was right in front of her, giving her every opportunity to leave. Someone so trapped in a cage of her own making, that she couldn't break out of. I just want to ask, why did you order us to do nothing?" Ren watched Lindy as her eyes fell to the side, unable to meet his own. He was right. She ordered the crew to leave Fate to her own demise. Regardless of the surrounding circumstances, the truth of the matter was she saw it fit to sign a child's death warrant.

"I… I prioritized the safety of my crew and yours over the life of a previously proven hostile element." Ren could see the conviction growing in Lindy's eyes; her posture hardening and becoming more confident as each word passed her lips. "I did what I believed to be the best course of action to protect the lives that I oversee. I realize that you may not see it that way but at times a leader must make difficult choices; choices that we may not wholly proud of."

"Element, huh? Not even going to bother with her name?" Lindy flinched as Ren made her aware of her gaffe, causing her to shrink back a bit, but not as much as before. "Well regardless, I can respect that sentiment. You're right, she was a criminal element and in possession of very powerful magic that even you and the crew recognized as extraordinary and far above the average. Had she been maybe ten years older or so, I might have had my own reservations on whether or not to do what I did."

"You realize how shallow that makes you sound."

"Very, but I don't care," Ren said while taking a more relaxed posture. "I also am not going to apologize for doing what I believe was the correct course of action given today's circumstances. Give me the exact same situation, and I wouldn't hesitate to disobey orders again."

"So, we are at an impasse then."

"It would seem so. Though I will admit that next time I'd probably want to come up with a more… discreet plan than that. That was more straightforward than I liked." Lindy let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, both from weariness, as well as relief that Ren only implemented his hostage situation out of limitation, rather than necessity. It was good to know the boy was still in his right mind… sort of.

"You realize that if you did that to any other officer in the TSAB, we wouldn't be having this kind of talk, right?" Lindy reminded him, hoping that he'd get the hint to maybe not go as far in the future.

"I know, but I still trusted you enough."

"Still trusted enough…" Lindy tried to contain the festering emotion as she contemplated what he meant by that. 'Still trusted enough', which meant his trust had changed; 'enough' meaning that it had… lowered. She didn't need to ask herself what did it. She already knew the answer as to what the inciting incident was, given that it was still the day of.

"But only to that extent. Next time something happens, we're moving on our own regardless of your permission or orders." Ren didn't leave room for negotiation, he simply stated the new terms going forward. "I'll be talking to the other thieves about leaving once this meeting is done."

"Ren," Nanoha finally spoke up, pushing through her exhausted mental state to try and shore up her courage and fortitude. If Ren's expression was any indication, it seemed to be working. "We can't just leave the TSAB right now. We still need their resources, and they're taking care of Fate in their infirmary. Please, we need them. We should at least stay until this is over."

"Well," Ren started as he took in her words. "you're not wrong." He let himself get a little too heated there he realized. He took a moment to collect himself, something Nanoha saw as an opportunity to speak further.

"Didn't we all agree this arrangement was always supposed to be temporary." Nanoha reminded not just him, but Lindy as well, giving the commander just a moment of eye contact before focusing back on Ren. "Just hold out a little while longer, okay?"

"Nanoha-"

"Okay?" She emphasized again when it seemed that Ren was about to argue. She wouldn't have any of that, not when there were more important things to worry about. She thought she heard him say something under his breath, something about being pushed around by kids again, but perhaps she was only imagining it. "Remember why we teamed up? It was so that we could save Fate and stop her Mother. We've done the first thing, and now it's time to do the second one. It'll all be over soon."

"Fine. You've got a fair point. I won't bring up leaving to the others then. However, we'll still act on our own."

"I suppose that will have to do then." Nanoha patted him as far up his back as she could reach, happy to have at least talk a bit of sense into him. Ren didn't say anything, just letting her do as she pleased, before she stopped with a stern look in her eye. "I also don't like that I was told to do nothing." Now it was Lindy who was under Nanoha's scrutiny.

"I was happy that Ren offered me a way to help Fate-chan. It's just that, I don't understand. Isn't the TSAB supposed to be something that helps people? I know now that sometimes you need force in order to be able to do certain things, but with everyone on board, Chrono-kun, Ren, Yuuno-kun, and the others too, I think we have enough power to save her, don't we? We have enough power that we could save her without putting any of us in danger? So why didn't we try?"

"That's…" Lindy found herself disarmed. With Ren, she was more used to his kind of rebellious spirit. It was stronger and more resolute than was typical, in fact one might call it noble and admirable as well in the best ways possible. However, she'd encountered similar in the TSAB. But Nanoha was different. She was a genuine child, growing up without significant strife or worry. That was something she hadn't dealt with. Chrono, given that he lost his Father early in life, wasn't ever like this either. "Perhaps we'll… discuss it next time." She found herself unable to answer Nanoha's innocence, either because her point wasn't entirely unsound, or that the child seemed to bright for her and her cynicism. She couldn't just ruthlessly smother such a thing.

"Next time then," Ren said, giving Lindy a way out, one she took gracefully. "Hopefully they'll consider it next time, Nanoha."

"Hmmm, Okay." She wasn't entirely satisfied, but at least felt that she got her point across. Besides, at least it seemed like things weren't going to get worse between them now. That was what she wanted most. "We will consider it next time." That was the tone that signaled that she wouldn't be argued with, Ren finally pieced together. He made note to heed it in the future.

"If you don't mind me asking," Lindy began, grabbing the two's attention. "Why were you so intent on saving her. I've seen people who try to save others without reason, along with their psych evals. Comparing your attitude to the written records, something else drove you to save her. Do you know what it might be that caused you to act like that?" Ren looked between the two, Lindy and Nanoha as they both awaited an answer from him with growing anticipation. A few seconds passed as he gathered himself, trying to find the right words to speak, and the right time to speak them.

"She reminds me a bit of the past," Ren said after much deliberation on whether to say as such. "Remember when he spoke on the yacht Lindy? You were the one that told me that it could be different this time. But then you also ordered me to do nothing. If I followed that order, then nothing would have changed from before. They would have died again." Lindy felt guilt finally bubble forth in a tangible form as she realized just what she'd done. She'd felt it halfway through their conversation, and more gathered along with shame that she couldn't name it earlier. It wasn't just ordering him to do nothing, it was promising him something, only to break the promise while lacking the presence of mind to realize what she was doing. She could only call it a failure of the worst kind. Greater considerations would be made in the future, she promised herself.

"I see. Thank you for telling me." Ren was about to reply with how he shouldn't have had to say it to begin with but knew better. He kept it in his thoughts as he replied.

"You did ask nicely." Lindy, and Nanoha didn't know what to say, as the conversation ran into a dead end. The hums returned as they all stood, a bit at a loss of how to proceed at all. However, things were in a time crunch now thanks to the preceding events. Lindy forced her voice to speak.

"We'll be infiltrating the Garden of Time in a few hours to apprehend Precia," Lindy said, pushing through the awkward silence that had settled in the room from her personal deliberation to at least deliver the message of their next move. "It will take some time for Precia to fully activate the seeds for her machinations. We'll inform all aboard the ship once we commence operations, however we will send the Arthra's own crew to handle the arrest as they'll be better equipped to handle the task. You may still watch the proceedings if you wish. Until then you're free to move about the ship as before."

"Does that go for my friends as well?"

"As soon as I inform Chrono, yes."

"Alright then. Now if you'll excuse, there's someone that I need to attend to." Lindy gave a single firm nod, prompting Ren to walk away without saying anything more.

"Ah, Ren wait for me! Um, I'm sorry! Thank you for not punishing us." Nanoha gave a small bow before chasing after the young man, catching up to him just as the doors were about to close. The tension lifted from Lindy's shoulders as she saw the girl disappear behind the door, but the feeling at the pit of her stomach did not lift at the same time.

"How disgraceful," she muttered to a quiet, empty room.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

"How's she doing?" Ren asked as he and Nanoha entered the infirmary. Arf was looking after Fate as she lay in the bed, conscious but tired. Though the familiar still looked a bit injured (parts of her body still wrapped in bandages and gauze), and her movements were still stiff, it was a far cry from the battered and damaged state she was in not a few hours ago.

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha ran into the room once Ren had gotten out of the way of the door. Excited to see her, she zipped right up to Fate's side. "Are you okay?"

"U-um, I'm okay." Fate's voice was hoarse, but even so, she wanted to match Nanoha's enthusiasm for some reason, still unknown to her. Perhaps Nanoha's attitude was just infectious.

"Nanoha, calm down, she's still exhausted," Ren chided Nanoha as he two walked up to Fate's bed. "How's she been so far?" He asked Arf again.

"She's been through the worst of it. Though you healed her wounds, she's still tired and needs to rest." So basically, what he just said. Fair enough, better to have more confirmation so that they can be more assured of her safety. "Thank you, by the way."

"Hm? Oh right. Well, I had other reasons for helping, but no problem."

"Other reasons? Well it doesn't matter. Thanks to you, Fate's safe and sound, away from that monster."

"Arf," Fate said in a displeased tone.

"I'm sorry Fate-chan, but… you know what, never mind. I'm… I'm just happy to see you again." Arf gave Fate another hug, added onto an already uncountable number, to which she returned without complaint. Despite what happiness beginning to hill her heart, Arf continued to swallow down her bile, not wanting to put strain on either Fate or their relationship. It still threatened to bubble up, given that she couldn't believe Fate still had any measure of hope for that woman, but it wasn't worth the time right now.

"I am too…" Fate eked out. Nanoha's cheeks also found their way into a smile, happy to see the two reunite as she backed off a bit to give them some space alongside Ren. After what seemed like several minutes, the two finally let each other go. Fate then focused her attention on Ren. "Why do you keep trying to help me?"

"Don't you think it's a bit weird to have to ask that?" Ren tossed back at her in a playful tone, as if egging her on to think a bit more deeply.

"It's because I never asked for your help."

"But you still recognize it as help."

"That's… You're getting away from the main point," Fate was too tired to get annoyed, but still had enough of her senses to become the tiniest bit incensed by his verbal dancing. "A person normally wouldn't go out of their way to help someone that's hurt them. I know that much."

"At least you do… So, you really want to know then?"

"Yes." Even in her tattered state, Fate held a steady gaze towards him. A sigh punctuated his resignation, realizing that she was probably going to be as stubborn as Nanoha.

"It's because you kind of remind me of someone I knew."

"Is it that guy you've mentioned before? I don't think you ever said his name." Nanoha remembered Ren possibly mentioning the person before in bits and pieces, and especially just earlier when they spoke with Lindy, but he'd never been explicit about whoever it was.

"His name was Goro Akechi. Honestly, I didn't like him very much. He was a bit of a smarmy asshole and sometimes just didn't know when to shut up." Ren's sudden tone shift into one of disdain had caught all present company off guard. "Honestly, I don't think most of us liked him at all, especially Haru. She really didn't like him."

"That doesn't sound anything like Fate-chan though?" In fact, Nanoha thought that sounded a bit like Ren. Of course, she kept that to herself. "Why does Fate remind you of him then?"

"I'll spare you some of the darker details for when you're older." Nanoha's cheeks puffed up in irritation at being told as such, but she let it go, remembering that it probably wasn't good to have too much of what was becoming their usual banter at the moment. "But what I can say was that, just like you and Fate, he and I fought each other. Not only that, the person giving him his orders was a parent of his. Despite that, I felt that perhaps he and I could come to an understanding if the circumstances were just a bit different."

"Alright, now it makes a bit more sense," Arf commented, beginning to see the connections.

"Glad it does but," Ren continued. "Unfortunately, he and I weren't able to in time. To make an abridged telling, even shorter, well... he's not here anymore."

"So that's why you wanted to save Fate-chan then? Because you couldn't save him?" Nanoha asked, now with a better understanding of Ren.

"Pretty much. I felt this was my chance to make up for that; that by saving Fate it could show that I'm better than I was then. Of course that's not to discount the feeling of just wanting to save Fate by itself. I also just wanted to help her in general. I'm aware that ultimately Fate is herself, and not Akechi."

"Myself…" Fate muttered.

"I suppose when I say it like that, I should probably apologize for overlaying someone else's image over yours. Sorry. You're your own person, but thanks all the same for letting indulge in a bit of selfishness." Despite his heartfelt apology, as well as her own desire to respectfully meet those emotions, Fate was unsure of how to respond. "I just didn't want you to end up like him or be forced to do something you may regret."

"I'd never regret anything mother would order me to do," Fate interrupted him at almost the exact moment his sentence ended. Though he seemed surprised for a moment, Ren quickly regained his stiff upper lip from before. She paused, thinking that he was about to say something, only for both him and Nanoha to remain silent. When she realized that they were waiting for her to continue speaking, she decided to oblige them. "Mother wouldn't do that. I know that right now the things she does may seem bad, but if I had the seeds, things will be right again. She was so kind in the past. She'd acquiesce to my selfish requests, scold me when I did something wrong, but she always did so with love. With the seeds, I know that she'd go back to being the kind person I remember. That's all I need to be happy. Just mother and Arf."

"Fate-chan…" The familiar let out in a pained manner. As she saw her master begin to breakdown into tears, baring her desires. Nanoha and Ren continued to silently watch as Fate tried to keep herself from crying. She was able to hold it down, keeping herself only to small sniffles that escaped. It took a few moments, but eventually she was able to wipe her face clear and clean. Though she still seemed drained, she appeared to be in control of herself.

"You really do love her, don't you?" Ren asked somewhat rhetorically. He already knew from how Fate talked about her before that she probably loved her mother dearly, all this did was cement that idea.

"She's my mother, of course I do."

"Of course, but loving someone isn't always just doing what they want you know?" Fate stared at him, confused by his remark. Nanoha as well wasn't sure what he meant by it. "Man, I wish some of the others were here for this; probably Haru, Yusuke and Makoto," he whispered. He shook his head, deciding to go on regardless.

"Sometimes if you love somebody, it's also about confronting them. Criticizing them when they're not doing their best, admonishing them when they do something wrong, and stopping them before they do something bad. Loving someone isn't about always trying to please the other person. That kind of relationship isn't love." He kept himself from specifying what he thought Fate's relationship with her mother was. He'd seen what direct confrontation of such a thing could result in. "If you really love your mother Fate, you have to be honest with both her and yourself."

"Honest…"

"It's not my place to say more. I'll let you stew on that on your own. For now, you seem tired. It's probably best that you rest for now." They'd kept her up alongside pushing her mentally with talks about her mother. It would be exhausting for most people in this situation, regardless of the events just prior.

"Sorry about that…" Nanoha sheepishly apologized, feeling responsible for Fate's current state.

"No, it was expected. You only did what you felt you had to do," Fate said as she tried to assure Nanoha of herself. She, for some reason, wanted to let Nanoha know that it was okay. The words left her mouth at the same time she felt as such. "Thank you for trying to help me," Fate finally was able to say to them.

"Of course, it's no problem," Nanoha said, giving the other girl a bright smile.

"You're welcome. although, it wasn't just Arf who asked me to save you." Fate was confused. There shouldn't be anyone else who could have asked. What did he mean by that? Had he gone mad? Was he not in his right mind? To her, evidence so far suggested it was possible.

"All hands, please report to your stations. Those associated with the Phantom Thieves, please report to the bridge. We are about to engage. I repeat, we are about to engage."

"Looks like that's the curtain call," He said as Amy's voice faded out over the comms. "That eager to go huh?" Fate was struggling to get up.

"Fate-chan!" Arf said as she caught her master before she fell to the floor.

"You're going to confront my Mother, right? Then I have things I want to talk to her about," Fate said undeterred by her condition.

"Here, let me help you!" Nanoha offered, propping Fate up alongside Arf. "No problems?" She asked Ren who still looked a bit worried, but ultimately shrugged.

"Well, I'm not going to stop her. Come on, let's go."

"Thank you." With that they left the infirmary and hurried to the command room.

 **-0-0-10-0-0-**

The bridge was in chaos, crew members scrambling and shouting as they worked.

"Platoon No.1! Heading in!"

"Prep support, get a reading on the surrounding magic, check for any potential resistance, or traps!"

"Transport successful! Get the next platoon ready!"

"Hey, you're here!" Ryuji waved over at Ren and company once they'd entered, Fate still in her medical gown being propped up by Nanoha while Arf followed just behind.

"Hey guys! Looks like everyone's here." A quick glance showed that all the thieves and Yuuno were there and accounted for. Upon looking at Haru, a question sprang to mind. "So, uh… Haru how's the yacht? We kind of left it behind…" Ren asked with a bit of a sheepish demeanor.

"I've already contacted a few servants to pick it up over the phone. It should be at the port in the morning."

"Sorry about that." Haru's giggle at his expense set his heart at ease over the guilt he had of taking advantage of the situation and leaving a mess at the end.

"It's fine, no harm done, we've got more important things to worry about at the moment." Haru visibly directed her attention to Lindy who sat at the captain's chair. At Haru's word, Lindy turned around.

"I suppose it's good that you're here. Fate, I presume? It's nice to meet you." Lindy walked over sporting her motherly persona as she spoke to Fate, devoid of any animosity or derision. She sounded nothing but kind. Ren couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her behavior. "I know what you want to say," Lindy began speaking telepathically to Ren and Nanoha alone, or at least specifically addressing Ren. "I know that I'm in no position to try and speak like this to her, but does she really deserve any more vitriol?"

"No," He responded along the same channel with an acceptance of her stance. "She doesn't."

"Thank you, Ren. If possible, I'd actually like you to take her with you away from here. Though Precia is a criminal, she's still Fate's Mother. I know I said you could watch the proceedings, but I don't want Fate to have her see her be arrested, and she seems to trust you and Nanoha enough." Ren agreed, giving a small nod to both her and Nanoha, prompting the young girl to move.

"Okay," Nanoha gave Fate a little budge. "Fate-chan, let's go to my roo-"

"Platoon 1 Leader to control, both platoons have entered the throne room! Proceeding as planned." The leader's voice boomed out from the primary screen of the Arthra's command room. Indeed, the screen corroborated their statement, showing them now standing before the Precia. Though it was hard to make out at the distance the view was situated, Ren believed that Precia looked rather ill, at least more than before. Her bags under her eyes had grown, her hair, though still somewhat organized, was more strewn about and messy. He also realized that she seemed to be a little more than just slack on her throne. Something also stained her lips, something that looked like blood. Despite her pallor, she still held an air of dignity as she faced the platoon of mages before her.

"Precia Testarossa, you're under arrest for breaking established Time Space laws as well as assaulting official Bureau personnel and equipment. You are to deactivate all weapons, magic, and come with us." The threat by the Bureau only served to amuse Precia, who let out a small chortle at the expense of the officers that stood before her. She didn't seem at all worried. Regardless of her dismissal of their presence, they proceeded onward one group surrounding her, and another who proceeded past the throne to a hidden door just behind. This, Ren noticed, got a reaction. Once the door opened, and room came into view on the feed, all present either gasped or were laid silent at what was within. Fate stood with her eyes wide and unable to understand.

A giant glass tube, containing a blonde girl; a girl that looked just like Fate. Without warning Precia appeared before them in an instant, firing a bolt of magic that knocked the mages at the front of the formation to the ground.

"Don't you dare come near my Alicia!" Precia had become furious, an absolute contrast to the woman just moments before who seemed to regard the mages as insects. Now she saw them as vermin. The mages that were still standing began to fire on her. Their attacks did nothing to her, disappearing just inches away from her body.

"Prepare to fire again!"

"How contemptable." Precia raised her hand, and in response the space in front of her began to warp as magic filled the space. The readings all around the ship blared in warning.

"Protect yourselves!" Lindy tried to warn them, only for the entire facility to crackle with electricity. Every hall, every room was covered in Precia's attack and yet the Garden remained pristine. It was only for a moment, but all the mages sent in lay on the floor, their barrier jackets charred from taking the worst of it.

"Transport them out!"

"Roger!" Amy was already at work before Lindy even finished her order. Each of the mages disappeared in bath of light, no doubt simultaneously appearing in the transport bay. As Amy continued the sequence Ren's mind wandered just a bit.

"That's Alicia's body?" Nanoha picked up on Ren's soft muttering, unsure of what he meant or if he had instead misspoken.

"Ren? Do you know who that is?" He sounded to her as someone who seemed to recognize this Alicia as more than just someone who looked like Fate. Before he could answer, though he didn't look like he would, they heard Precia speak from beyond the monitor.

"There's no time left. I only have eight Lost Loggia, that might not be enough to reach Al Hazard. However, my hand has been forced. All the misery I've borne since she died, putting up with that doll-like copy, it is time to put an end to it." Fate's body froze. Mother couldn't have been talking about her, right? She was her daughter. She wasn't a copy, so it couldn't have been her.

"I suppose it's time for the truth then. I'm talking about you Fate."

"N-no… I'm…" Fate struggled, trying to say something, anything. She kept pushing air out of her lungs, but no a single coherent word came out, just vain gasps to do anything at all.

"I gave you all of her memories, little doll. In those memories you might recall that I was a researcher. Specifically, I was part of a special project whose goal it was to create artificial life. It was for the dual purpose of creating magical beings stronger than any familiar, but also," Precia consciously paused, taking a breath as she did so to prevent another coughing fit. "It was also a project to bring the dead back to life."

"And you used that research to try and bring Alicia back to life?" Ren both asked and assumed, keeping his eye on Fate.

"A correct assumption, but it was to no avail. Artificial Life is… well, artificial. That doll was no replacement for the real thing. Alicia's smile was so much sweeter. She could be selfish, but she always listened when she needed to."

"Please stop," Nanoha pleaded to Precia. She saw how each word Precia said was hurting Fate. As more and more was said, Fate became more and more distraught while unable to do anything. She took all of Precia's hatred and contempt without any resistance. "Please!" And yet Precia continued.

"She was always kind to me." Precia began to caress the glass, as if doing so also allowed her to touch Alicia. "But Fate? You're nothing but a fake Alicia. Why did I even bother giving Alicia's memories to you when you act nothing like her."

"Please, don't say anymore!" Nanoha tried once more, but again she went ignored.

"Fate was just an item of comfort, a doll to tide me over until I revived Alicia. I didn't even bother thinking of your name! I just took the name of the project that you were a product of and slapped it on without a second thought; Project Fate!" Precia turned around in a frenzy, madness clear in her eye along with absolute, unshakable disdain and scorn. "I don't need you anymore! Ever since I created you, I've hated everything about you! Get out of my sight and never speak to me again!"

"Fate-chan!" Nanoha cried as Fate became despondent and lifeless, almost like the puppet that Precia described. Before she could fall to the ground, Nanoha caught her, but the girl lay limp in Nanoha's arms.

"Now if you'll excuse me, Alicia and I have a journey to make. I'll have no interruptions."

"Multiple signatures detected within the enemy compound, A Class! Total Numbers rising… 60… 80. It's still going!"

"Is that what Alicia really wanted!?" Ren asked, his blood finally boiling over. "What makes you think any of this would have made Alicia happy!?"

"Shut up! Who are you to tell me what she would have felt! She can't even feel happiness, but that will all change once we go to Al Hazard! She'll be with me again, and we'll be happy together, I know we will! In this home of ours, mommy will make you happy again, Alicia." Again, the woman caressed the tube, as she did so it became free of the machines it was attached to and began to float in the middle of the air. Precia then lead Alicia's body back to the throne room.

"Wait… that's it… Thanks old hag, you gave me everything I needed." Ren almost sounded thankful, much to the confusion of all who could hear him. He then reached into his pocket, seemingly distracted. None paid him any more attention as Precia continued.

"I have no more patience for your useless prattling. It's time for us to go Alicia." The eight Jewel Seeds she had circled the air in front of her in perfect unison.

"I've got a read on the magic output. At this rate we have approximately 3 hours until she gathers enough energy to complete the spell!" Amy told everyone on board.

"Ren what should we do? Fate-chan is… Ren what are you doing!?" Nanoha was at a complete loss for words. In this time of crisis, for some reason Ren, of all people, was messing with his phone. "Ren, this isn't the time for that!" She grabbed a hold of his shirt, shaking him to try and get him back to reality, but he ignored her completely this time, his eyes and fingers dancing across the screen as if desperate to do something. "Ren!"

"Just, be quiet for a moment." Ren, probably the sternest with her he'd ever been, said as he brought the phone a bit close to his face. His face scrunched in thought, Nanoha able to see the physical strain of him apparently thinking about something. She did as he said, letting go of him and giving him the space he needed to do whatever it was he was doing. She still had to properly hold Fate up given the state she was in.

She caught glimpses of the other thieves, a couple of them whispering to among themselves. They seemed surprised, but in a different way to her. Though they appeared excited and intrigued, they kept their voices low. Nanoha couldn't figure out just what could elicit such a reaction from Ren messing with his phone. Just what was he doing? Just as she was trying to figure it out, Ren spoke once more into his phone, each word careful and measured. "Here goes nothing…Precia, Garden of Time, Home, Mother." A monotone feminine voice responded.

"Match Found."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Well that took longer than I wanted to. I kept getting signs to keep writing this too, like fortune cookies and the first character I downloaded from CAS in SC6 was a Nanoha with Talim style, and my discovery that Bounce Man in Mega Man 11 is voiced by Yukari Tamura (Nanoha's VO). Doesn't help that as I was nearing the end of the chapter's completion, Amazon Prime's apparently lost the rights to the first season and A's. Thank god for piracy, I'll just watch it elsewhere.

Anyways only when I reached the 14k word mark did I realize that this chapter was getting a bit long. I was tempted to try and split it into two chapters but was having trouble finding a decent spot to make the split. Honestly chapters of this length are more my jam. I prefer writing this length, only shortening it recently as a means of self challenge in trying to write with more brevity. I just gave up and said, screw it, this is going to be a beefer of a chapter. That's also why this took a while since this is about as long as 2-3 of the other chapters. Sorry about that.

Any who we're finally getting to the finale of this season, and the core reason I wanted to do this. Originally, I wanted to make just a one shot about Joker and the gang going into Precia's Heart and doing their usual thing, but as I did more research, I realized that the initial plans I had would have been terrible or super forced, so I instead just made it a whole series rather than scrap the idea, making greater establishment and entangling of the two properties. Some of your probably already saw this coming, but hey I didn't promise a surprise or anything like that.

That being said, as usual, tell me what you think? Tell what you found either wrong or good and why, so I can take that feedback and improve as a writer, especially the why because just saying something is bad is kind of milquetoast and not useful as an assessment since it doesn't tell me in what ways or how. I appreciate anything you guys can tell me as usual.

Now that this is done its time for me to return to playing the DMC5 Demo. I haven't even opened my copy of Smash since this Demo came out, and I just need to play more and get my Ex-Act timings down in non-turbo… Also, yes Joker in Smash is Awesome. Double the Xander, double the fun.

Thanks for reading, and have a great day!


	11. Chapter 11: Fate Can Change

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 11: Fate Can Change**

The bed felt different. Instead of the soft bed he'd been offered on the Arthra, he felt the bed had somehow become harder and smaller. He ignored it at first, wanting to fall back asleep, but something in the air that tickled his nose kept him from doing so. Only when the sound of dripping water reached his ears did he realize something was off. He struggled, trying to rouse himself up and pry open his eyes to see what was going on. As he did so, it felt like there was something near his face.

"Hello? Are you awake? Hello?" The sudden voice prompted his eyes to snap open as he violently lurched up off the bed. "Kyaaa!" He heard echo beside him. A quick glance told him that he was laying on the bed of the Velvet Room in his Phantom Thief attire. However, while he recognized that voice, he'd never thought he'd hear it here. He turned to his side to see just who it was that made it into the room, making sure to maintain caution as he did so. "Ouch…" The source of the voice said, rubbing her bottom as she sat on the floor. He scowled before donning an expression of surprise as he made out, in the darkness of his cell, just who it was that made it in here.

"Fate-chan?"

"No, but close," the girl answered straight away as she stood up from the floor. Dusting herself off, she then looked Joker straight in the eyes before giving a small curtsy. "I'm Alicia Testarossa. I'm Fate's older sister. It's nice to formally make your acquaintance, Ren Amamiya." Older sister? Fate had an older sister? The two were practically identical. Older twin perhaps? "We aren't twins if you're wondering." Either he had made it easy to read or it was what she expected. She was sharp.

"I see." He didn't, but he was accepting of it all the same. Had she been a danger to him, Lavenza would have seen her out. Besides, he had a guess as to who she also was. "I assume you were the one waiting in the next cell over last time I was here?"

"Yes, that's right! Though it isn't the first time we've met."

"Yeah, I remember now. You're the reason I wasn't getting any sleep recently." Her expression fell quite dramatically. Blushing in embarrassment, she twiddled her thumbs as she attempted to muster a response.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. It's just that- Hey, what are you laughing at!?" Her tone changed from an apologetic one to indignant as soon as she heard Ren trying to keep his laughter down.

"Sorry, I was joking. I didn't think you'd take it so seriously."

"Hmph! You should really respect your elders you know! I'll be 31 this year!" She stamped her foot and puffed out her cheeks. She was to be respected, at least that was what she believed. Ren found it hard to find her to be more than anything but a cute little girl, given that her mannerisms weren't any different from her looks.

"I think you're the only 31-year-old girl I know who'd proudly declare that." Ren had ample experience with older women by this point, and Alicia didn't act anything like those he had been acquainted with. At his remark, the two continued to stare off at one another, Alicia's cute little pout matching Ren's condescending, older brother like scrutiny. They both held on for what seemed to be… only a few seconds since it didn't take long for either to break into a quick bout of laughter.

"I was right about you.," Alicia remarked as she recovered from her giggling fit. "I feel better about now about asking you of all people."

"Ask me what? Sorry, but I couldn't hear what you were asking for every time you showed up in my dreams." Each time was always static. He tried his best to figure out what she was saying before, but now was the prime opportunity to ask.

"Really? I thought since we ended up here you already knew. Well I don't mind telling you again." Taking a deep breath, Alicia put her hands in prayer. "Please save Mama and Fate…" Her plea seemed so sincere to Ren, if only for a moment since she then broke into another series of giggles. "Well something like that. Sometimes I'd make it sound more flowery, which was of course until I realized you might not actually have been hearing what I was saying. But that's the gist of it. Not much more needs to be said, but I do mean it. Please save them…"

"I want to," he began, "and I might be able to with Fate, but your mother is a different story. Saving her might be a bit too difficult to do, given the circumstances."

"I guess that makes sense." Alicia frowned a bit as she sat on the bed next to Ren. "Mom wasn't always like that. She used to be super nice. Everything she did, I know she did because she loved me and wanted me to be happy. But then…"

"Then what?" Ren asked when she hadn't followed up on that for a good while.

"No, it's nothing. In the end she still ended up like that." She sat there, her sadness readily apparent, as she continued to think on what she'd just said, still wondering if anything could have been done. She shook her head, knowing that nothing could change the past. "Isn't there anything you can do to help her? I know you said that it might be too hard, but isn't there something, anything that can be done?" Ren wanted to say yes, since it would have been the best outcome.

In speaking with them, both Fate and Alicia have said essentially the same thing: Precia was once a normal mother. She used to be a doting kind mother that cared greatly for her children, yet something changed that; changed her.

As it stood now however, Precia was unlikely to change. She seemed to Ren, like someone who was set in the path she had chosen. For that person Alicia and Fate both loved and claimed to have once existed, he did want to help that person. However, it wasn't reasonably achievable. Not right now anyway.

"There is a way." The two of them looked to the entrance of the cell to find a girl standing there holding a large grimoire.

"It's you!" Alicia pointed at the girl, as if doing so would punctuate her existence.

"Lavenza," Ren remarked when he'd realized who it was. A small, but a visible smile painted Lavenza's lips, only to be quickly snuffed out, as she proceeded to further elucidate her previous declaration.

"You've made quite the number of promises and contracts recently, Trickster. As such, we here in the Velvet Room are more than happy to provide our assistance." The velvet clad attendant opened the grimoire in hand, causing the pages to zip by. The fluttering of the pages stopped once she'd found the exact page she was looking for. "Here, just what you needed." She tapped the page once, then twice. The grimoire then came alight with a soft glow of velvet that faded as quickly as it was born.

"What do you-" A sudden vibration emanating from his pocket cut his sentence short. Without delay, he dug in and grabbed his phone. "Download complete?" He read off the screen. He tapped the notification and typed in his password in order to quickly see what had been downloaded. "Is that…" What appeared before him was a familiar application with which whose image was that of a stylized eye, but instead of the red color that he remembered in his head, it was a velvet blue.

"What is that?" Alicia asked, as she moved closer to see what he was looking at on his phone. When she could not figure out just what it was that he was staring at, she looked up to see him smiling.

"What might just be the key to saving your mother." Before she could ask just what a picture on that small screen could do to help, he spoke into the Earth device. "Precia Testarossa…" He said aloud, ignoring a confused Alicia for the moment.

"Match Found. Provide further key words," his phone speakers blared, a slight echo mimicking it emanating from the empty prison. A devilish grin creeped its way onto his face.

"Alicia, I might be able to save your mother after all," he said as he wiped his grin away so as not to scare the girl, replacing it with one of simple confidence and assurance.

"Really?" Her eyes widened in hope. Though she didn't understand any of what had happened, his apparent and strong conviction bled onto her, providing her with faith in his words.

"Yeah. I can make that promise now."

"Thank you! I don't get it but thank you so much!" She said as she grabbed hold of his hands and brought them up. Small tears started down her cheeks as her elation began to overwhelm her senses.

His eyes widened as her visage slowly became ever more translucent as the seconds passed. "Ah, it seems I have to return now."

"Return? Return to where?"

"Maybe I'll see you again? And tell Fate-chan that I-" He couldn't hear the rest of what Alicia had to say as she soon completely disappeared in a cloud of quickly dissipating light particles. It was just him and Lavenza, and neither of them spoke for a while after. The room's silence became pronounced as he sat there contemplating what just happened. There was simply nothing. Only the clinking of chains and the dripping of water pervaded his ears. When he'd gotten sick of it, he opened his phone. He wanted to try a few more keywords, but nothing came to mind.

"Do not worry, she only returned back to the where she belonged," Lavenza spoke up in the silence.

"I figured as much. Is the app…"

"Yes, that is a gift from the master. Though the Metaverse itself may be gone, the worlds inside people's hearts yet remain. This should allow you to at least enter those worlds. Consider it a signing bonus."

"Thanks, I'll be using this right away if you don't mind." Lavenza nodded, her professional smile laxing into a genuine one. "Right, then I'll be heading back now myself. No time to waste."

"Yes, you'll need your rest for the coming challenges that await you. Sleep well, my Trickster." With a small wave, which Lavenza matched, he took his own leave of the place, through the usual corridor of darkness. Of course, he wouldn't be sleeping that night if he could help it.

 **-0-0-11-0-0-**

"Match found," Ren's phone echoed in the command room. Though smothered by the bustle of the bridge, it was still audible enough for those nearby to hear it.

"For real!?"

"No way it can't be!"

"But how is that possible?"

"Where'd you download it? When?" Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke and Futaba all bombarded him one after the other.

"Calm down everyone!" Makoto yelled. As if on cue, all the Thieves, and even Nanoha and Yuuno, stood at attention. "Ren, is that what I think it is?"

"Yup, we're back in business." Ren waved his phone in front of everyone. Though Nanoha and Yuuno didn't recognize it, all the thieves certainly did; their expressions donning excitement and fervor. "That being said-"

"I'm sure none of us are against it," Haru interrupted. "You know that we all want to stop her after what she's done. Let's not dawdle and get right to it."

"That's what I should be telling the rest of you," Chrono interrupted. "If you don't mind, you're blocking the way," he told them, pointing to the exit that they genuinely were blocking. A couple of them blushed, a bit embarrassed at the gaffe.

"Where are you going?" Nanoha asked him.

"I'm going to head down to arrest Precia. This is our chance to stop her while she's distracted trying to gather magical energy," Chrono explained.

"Then I'm going too," Nanoha said without hesitation almost the moment Chrono had finished speaking.

"I as well!" Yuuno added. "Arf, it may best for you to stay behind and look after Fate." The boy looked down to see Fate still in a catatonic state. He frowned, but all he could offer in the interim was his thoughts given the circumstances.

"Right, I'll take her back to the sickbay." The familiar took Fate from out of Nanoha's hands and into her own arms, carrying her bridal style. "I'll leave the rest to you…" She turned around, the thieves walking out of the way as Arf rushed past them.

"What about the rest of you? Aren't you all coming along?" Chrono asked the thieves. They looked amongst themselves, unsure of how to answer, given the suddenness of the situation, even to them.

"You go on ahead," Ren finally answered.

"We've got something else we have to take care of first before going down," Makoto then followed.

"But what are you-"

"Is it something vital to resolving the situation?" Lindy swiveled in her seat to face the group. All the thieves nodded in unison, surprising the commander before she nodded back. "Then make it quick. Chrono, Nanoha, Yuuno, you three head down first. I'll meet you there once I'm finished with preparations on my end."

"Roger!" The three said in unison. After hearing them, she swiveled back around in her seat Lindy returned to issuing orders to the other crew members. Though Yuuno and Chrono headed towards the teleporters immediately after, Nanoha lingered behind.

"Ren?"

"Nanoha, can I ask you a favor?" He asked, turning towards her, and kneeling to her height, an action that bothered her a tad, she realized just then when coupled with her confusion.

"Can you try to delay Precia for as long as possible? Just buy us any time you can get."

"Ren you haven't-"

"Please, for Fate." That wasn't fair, she thought, bringing Fate into this. However, the earnestness in his voice overcame her anger at being left out of the loop of things.

"Okay, but you have to tell me everything once this is over, promise?"

"Promise," he said back finally looking at her with a grateful smile. She felt a blush overcome her; her face elongating into an embarrassed expression. She quickly shook it off though. Now was time to focus on helping Fate. "We'll be down there as well once we've got everything set up."

"Alright. I'm going first then. I'll tell Chrono and Yuuno to help me buy time then. Be careful."

"You too Nanoha-chan," Ann said.

"Don't push yourselves," Yusuke added. With a final nod, she ran past them to follow Chrono and Yuuno out of the command room and to the teleporters.

"Now then… Lindy do you have any broadcasting type magic?"

"Yes, but for what purpose do you need it for Ren?"

 **-0-0-11-0-0-**

The three of them, Nanoha, Chrono, and Yuuno, stood vigilant in the unfamiliar environment. Before them was the entrance to the rest of the Garden of Time, a large door that was several meters wide and even taller than that, but in front of it stood a large army of various armored creatures and knights.

"So many of them…" Yuuno muttered as he surveyed the area, keeping his eye on the enemies in case they made any sudden movements, all the while minimizing his own along with Nanoha and Chrono.

"There'll be more once we're inside."

"Chrono, what are they?" Nanoha was unsure whether or not to attack; her eyes darting between the Knights and creatures that stood before them.

"They're just automatons that attack nearby targets automatically."

"So, there's nobody inside then? That's a relief. Then we can go all out." Her posture changed immediately, becoming taller and more confident, as she got herself ready to engage with the enemy.

"Don't bother. Let me handle this." Chrono raised his staff, aglow with a spell that he had at the ready. Once the head of his staff reached the peak of its glow, Chrono wound his stance back like a coiled spring.

" _Stinger Snipe!"_ Swiping his staff, a blue lash of magical energy flew forward, slicing a sizable portion of the army to pieces in one fell swoop.

"Sniper Shot!" Following that, the blue lash spiraled to a point, before splitting into many smaller shots that rained on the battlefield, taking out even more of the enemy forces. Within seconds only a few of the previously intimidating numbers still stood. Only a single unit remained standing before the doorway. Chrono flew towards it, and though it attempted to slash at Chrono with its axe, the mage maneuvered around it without issue, before jumping up to its head and sticking the staff in a gap between the head and the rest of its body.

" _Break Impulse!_ "The final enemy exploded as it was overcharged by a burst of magical energy straight at its weak point at point blank range. Chrono rose from the ensuing smoke and landed near the door. Once the smoke cleared, he could see Nanoha and Yuuno standing slightly slack jawed amazed at the display. Though they had witnessed his prowess before, that time he held back out of part arrogance, ignorance, and safety. This time, without those restraints, he was better able to display his abilities.

"What are you two waiting for? Let's go!" Chrono told them.

"Right! Nanoha, let's go! Nanoha?" Yuuno was confused as to why Nanoha seemed to be hesitating.

"Why isn't he here yet?" She whispered to herself.

"I don't know what they're doing, but we'll waste time waiting for them. Besides, they're the ones who asked us to buy them time, so let's-" A flicker of static flitted through their ears, interrupting Chrono. All three winced at the sudden ear-piercing sound invading their heads. As they were recovering, the static returned, only this time as a screen floating above them, the same kind used for their comms but on a larger scale. Looking inside the doorway, it seemed like multiple panes of the static filled screens were being broadcast in different, and almost random, areas around the Garden of Time, with a big one above the entire structure.

"Broadcasting magic?" Chrono recognized it. Normally this specific spell was used for large scale communications or announcements to civilians for evacuations and like. They used the same magic to communicate with Precia just before they landed on site, but he was confused. Why was it being used now of all times? Communication had broken down, there wasn't a need to use it anymore. If the Arthra needed to contact them, then they could have used the smaller scale comms spells. Before he could contemplate any further, the static dissipated replaced by a simple, unadorned red screen.

"Greetings, Precia Testarossa!" A garbled, though high pitched and almost cat like, voice boomed from the screens. From inside the innermost room, Precia watched with only the smallest bit of her attention, the rest spent on gathering the magic necessary to enact her final wish.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are the Phantom Thieves of Heart." Once the second garbled voice, feminine and spunky, named themselves, an image of a stylized hat and mask with an animated flaming eye appeared right in the middle. Below in English were the words 'Take you Heart' in an erratic font. "We come to you today with the help of our very special sponsor the TSAB, who graciously allowed us to, ahem, 'borrow' their systems."

"Perhaps you have heard of us, and if not, allow us to explain what we do." Again, it was a different voice that Nanoha felt sounded familiar but couldn't exactly make out under the distortions added to it. "We Phantom Thieves perform, as you may have guessed, thievery! But we do not pilfer just any old mundane treasures. No, what we seek are the treasures of the corrupt and evil!" The same voice continued, a bit of class emanating from it through the voice editing.

"And guess what? You Precia have been chosen as our special target for one day, and one day only! Congratulations!" This time the voice was younger and female with bit of playful impishness evident in its. "Don't you feel honored?"

"We've watched you Precia, and we've determined that you are the exact kind of scum we specialize in dealing with; the worst kind of piece of shit around." The voice was rasher, and unrefined; energetic to say the least.

"You've committed various crimes of an interdimensional scale, endangering the lives of countless innocents for your own selfish gain. You've shown a callous disregard for those around you, using them like tools that you can throw away the moment it's inconvenient or when you don't have any more use for them." Though a bit daintier, this feminine voice still held the righteous fury of the others. Nanoha noted that this one placed extra emphasis on the latter accusations.

"Perhaps at one point you truly were a kind mother as those around you claim you once were. Perhaps in the past such crimes would have never been even a passing thought to you. Now however, there is nothing of that kind mother anymore. Your actions do nothing but shame those you claim to wish happiness for. Alicia would have never wanted this." The fierce female voice echoed, finally getting a rise out of Precia.

"How dare you!" She yelled at the screen, the room shaking as her magic fluctuated in the same manner, but the broadcast continued unaffected by her sudden outburst.

"And that is why, in light of your actions, we Phantom Thieves, have decided that you will be our next target," All the previous voices said in unison. The red image cut to a shot of all the Thieves standing on the teleporter of the Arthra, Joker standing at the center of all the thieves, ready and waiting.

"Before the night is over, your treasure will be ours. We're coming for you Precia Testarossa, let the games begin." With a snap of Joker's finger, all the screens simultaneously cut out, returning the world to silence. Precia, still in her throne room and gathering energy, grit her teeth in frustration. She was confused at whatever that… that farce was. However, she eventually let out her breath that she was holding. A laugh soon followed, her eyes widened in madness. Perhaps she could indulge in a final game.

"Fine, come to me. For daring to speak as if you know of my daughter, I'll be sure to send you all to hell before I go to Al Hazard!" Her voice echoed inside the empty room. The only response came from the glow of the Jewel Seeds. "Prepare to meet the full might of an SS class mage!"

Outside, Nanoha and company were just as confused about what had happened.

"What was that?" Nanoha was first to ask once the initial shock had finally passed over.

"Useless theatrics… Is that what they needed to do?" Chrono seemed the most annoyed of the three. In his eyes, not only was their stunt unprofessional, but also would have ruined the point of a sneak attack. He also disapproved of the idea of them stealing something from Precia, which against procedure.

"Huh? Behind us!" Yuuno pointed towards the back where they first came in. At the same spot, various figures appeared draped in light, before dissipating, revealing the Phantom Thieves.

"Ren!" Nanoha ran up to them as soon as saw them. "You're here! Was that what you needed the time for?"

"No, we still need you to-"

"You're late! If you're done wasting time, we have to arrest Precia before she finishes her spell!" Chrono yelled from across the open area.

"Cool your jets Spikes, we're not here to help you arrest Precia."

"Then what did you come here for?" Chrono readied his staff, placing himself in a combat stance as he leered at the thieves.

"Couldn't you have said that in a less antagonistic way, Joker?" Queen gave Joker a glare, causing their leader to curl up a bit in response. No matter how close friends they all had become, Queen still held a tight leash over them. The spiked knuckles also made for a very convincing addition to her arguments.

"Sorry, about that Queen."

"Right… Anyways, we're not here to stop you, in fact it might actually help you with your objective, it's just that we're going to be doing things a bit differently," She explained, in a sense.

"But it still involves Precia in a way, right?" Yuuno asked, as he caught up to Nanoha. "So, what are you guys going to do?"

"As I told Nanoha back on the Arthra, we don't have time to explain all the particulars." Joker pulled out his phone as he was speaking, fiddling with it. "Just buy as much time as you can, and I promise, Precia will surrender without much fuss."

"What are you talking abo-"

"Yeah! You can count on us," Nanoha answered, interrupting Chrono's confusion and making Joker feel a bit embarrassed about how much she believed in him. Regardless, he nodded in thanks as he turned back to his phone.

"Would you two mind stepping back a bit, don't want you to get caught up in this." Nanoha and Yuuno looked at each other, a bit confused by his request before deciding to acquiesce. They knew that what he was doing was most likely something that would help them, just as he said it would.

"Hey, what are you doing!?"

"Good luck!" Joker interrupted Chrono, tapping his phone screen one last time. "Let's go guys!" Ripples in the air expanded between the thieves and the three mages. The space itself became distorted, causing each party to view the other as if they were under water. While the thieves had no such expression of surprise, Nanoha, Yuuno, and Chrono all looked on in a daze as one by one, the thieves walked forward, disappearing into the aberration of space time. Once all of them had disappeared inside the distortion, the space returned to normal, with the thieves nowhere to be seen.

"Amy, did you see that?" Chrono opened a comms line back to the Arthra, the scene behind the operator still in chaos.

"They just disappeared! I can't get a read on their signature. I-It's as if they've hopped dimensions but they shouldn't have something like that according to the general technological and magical level of the planet!" Chrono clicked his tongue at Amy's panicked assessment.

"Chrono-kun, let's just move on. We'll be fine on our own." Nanoha and Yuuno had at some point walked back to where Chrono was, catching slightly off guard.

"We can worry about Joker and the others later, for now we have to get to Precia before it's too late." Chrono nodded back at Yuuno's statement. Now wasn't the time to quibble over them. Chrono let out a sigh before psyching himself back up with a quick shake of the head.

"Yeah, let's get going!"

"Roger!" The three of them turned and ran past the gates, heading inside. Only two hours and forty-five minutes remained before Precia was finished with her spell.

 **-0-0-11-0-0-**

Fate lay in the sickbay bed once more. Though unfocused, she could see Arf nearby, the sound of something made of cotton rustling and unwinding also within earshot. Once those sounds had stopped, Arf walked up to her bed, free of the bandages from before, a determined expression on her face.

"Fate, I'm going to go help them," the familiar said, kneeling down to be closer to her master. "I'm worried about them. I think Ren probably has his side of things handled, but those kids are a different story. I'll be going." She placed a hand on Fate's cheek, gently caressing it. "I'll be back soon. When all of this is over, no matter how much time it takes, I'll wait for you to return to the Fate I love so much. You'll have all the time in the world for it." With a final smile, Arf stood up and exited the room, her steps firm as the walked forward. Even so, she turned back one last time, her master still unroused. Arf, with but a small grimace, continued her exit. She had work to do.

As she heard the doors open and close, in the corner of Fate's eye she could see mother's automatons in combat with Nanoha and the others as they continued further into the citadel on a monitor most likely meant for medical personnel to observe. She thought of her mother and a realization filled her heart with a woe.

"I can't remember mother ever smiling at me. Not even once." That was all she'd ever wanted; to see her mother smile. Everything she'd done up until that point was for that purpose. No matter how much her mother hurt her, or told her that she wasn't enough, if Fate could see her mother smile, that would have been enough. Even now, when she'd been thrown away, a part of her still clung to Precia.

"Arf…" she muttered when she saw her familiar appear on the screen next to Nanoha and the other two mages. "I'm sorry for not listening to you." When Fate thought back to the times Arf pleaded with her, it must have hurt more when she ignored those pleas. And even then, her familiar never left her side; remained her ally no matter the circumstance. And now that familiar, ever loyal, had gone to join that white girl to stop her mother.

"Nanoha Takamichi…" That girl greeted the familiar with a smile. There was no audio feed, but even so it was easy to see that the girl was ecstatic to see Arf. Though they had clashed many times before, fighting for different beliefs and different reasons, Fate realized that Nanoha was the first person to ever look at her straight on as an equal, not as her better or her inferior.

"Why did you keep trying?" Over and over, Nanoha kept calling Fate's name whenever they clashed, wanting to reach her. Fate finally rose from the bed, tears beginning to form.

"All I wanted was for Mother to accept me," she spoke as if Nanoha could hear her from beyond the screen. "It was everything to me. If I didn't have that I…" she couldn't say it. She couldn't say that she would have rather been dead. Though the feeling rang true, it reminded her that such a thing was reality. Right now, she didn't even have that. A fear overcame as she began to shiver in place, her breathing becoming more and more haggard as the situation set in once more.

 _"Sometimes if you love somebody, it's also about confronting them. Criticizing them when they're not doing their best, admonishing them when they do something wrong, and stopping them before they do something bad. Loving someone isn't about always trying to please the other person. That kind of relationship isn't love. If you really love your mother Fate, you have to be honest with both her and yourself."_

Almost as if it was a magic spell, the words that rang in her head spread a feeling of peace throughout her body. Her shaking became still, her mind no longer raced, and her heart becalmed. When Fate remembered Ren's words, she'd felt assured, comforted by them. She felt Ren's words, and her memories of Nanoha giving her courage, despite the fears that still lay within.

"Honest…" she repeated, "with myself." She looked onto the near by desk to find Bardiche sitting peacefully. Without another word, she rose from the bed, and hobbled over. Though unsteady, she kept going without faltering. Her hands slammed onto the table as she panted and wheezed from the exertion. Even so, she maintained a resolute gaze.

"Then I cannot run away," she said as she took Bardiche in hand. "If that isn't love, then perhaps…" Bardiche transformed into its familiar staff shape as she continued to speak. "Perhaps it's time to put an end to my relationship with her and start something new." A light emanated forth from Bardiche, enveloping the girl before quickly dissipating, revealing her barrier jacket. Fate felt her strength and resolve restored. Looking at her staff, she smiled.

"You've also been at my side as well, Bardiche. Thank you…" The head of the staff nodded in response, causing the girl's smile to widen. Soon after however, her expression returned to a stoic one as she concentrated on casting a spell. A magic circle appeared beneath her, and in the blink of an eye, she disappeared.

 **-0-0-11-0-0-**

"Well this is… weird," Skull was the first to say as the thieves surveyed the… open plain.

"It's just an open grassy field… with a house over there," Panther took the time to say as she moved her head about to try and see if there was anything else around. Her efforts were only met by grass, more grass, more grass… and clear blue sky with a couple of clouds in the distance and a bright yellow sun.

"Quite the idyllic view all things considered. It reminds me of those American Countryside paintings I've seen before." Fox placed his hands in his usual rectangular formation, looking about with a different purpose at the forefront.

"I was expecting something a little more… I dunno, final dungeony, I guess," Oracle commented as she continued to scan the area. "Well not like open grassy field with something in the center hasn't been a final dungeon before. Only thing here is the house," she said after finishing her scan of the area using Prometheus. "I guess that's it. No creepy kids around asking for masks either."

"Might be one of those, bigger on the inside kind of deals," Skull proposed as he ignored Oracle's last comment.

"Who knows, Precia's mind isn't exactly the most stable. Every one of our previous targets, even for as corrupt and despicable as they were, were in their right minds," Mona noted.

"Fair point. Precia's pretty much capital C for 'Crazy'. We've never had to deal with someone who was that off their rocker." Skull sighed, his worry visible even through the mask.

"This will be our first time dealing with someone who could be clinically classified as insane." The others shared in Noir's pity for Precia. This was someone who had gone over the edge; a broken individual. The thought edged in Joker's mind that if she'd been of sound mind, then none of this would have happened. Regardless of the 'what ifs' however, they had a job to do.

"Everyone be on guard more than usual. We don't know what we'll encounter in such a mind. Since it's the only thing in view, let's head for the house. We don't have time to waste so we should keep moving," Queen ordered, to which everyone agreed.

It didn't take very long for them to reach the house, as there hadn't been any surprise obstructions, nor had there been any shadows either. Without such, Mona was able to head straight there. The eeriness of peace only put the thieves more on edge which continued as they investigated the house, trying to find some way in. They scoured about, hoping to find something, a stray open window, perhaps a vent they could crawl through, or maybe a door that'd been unlocked. To no avail, they found nothing they could use to get inside after searching for a good 20 minutes. In what little time they had, it was a lot of time to have wasted.

"Is it a bit weird I'm about to ask if we should do some 'Breaking and Entering'?" Skull tapped his iron pipe on the glass door of the house's patio just enough to make a noise. Though they hadn't detected any shadows, even as they got right up next to the house, they still decided to avoid using the front door to avoid alerting anything inside if they could. Eventually they did try, only for it to also be locked. Despite the desperate situation, the setting itself still made them feel more like common crooks.

"We've already checked under the mat, around the plant pot, and other stuff for a key. There aren't any open windows either. It might be our only way in…" Panther said, a bit uneasy that they'd have to do something so crude; a feeling shared among the others.

"Well, maybe we should do a second sweep before we… do that?"

"I would appreciate it if you could avoid breaking anything," a muffled voice came from beyond the door, after Queen finished speaking.

"Woah!" Skull fell backwards onto his rear, as the other thieves had a bit of a start as well.

"Wh-Who said that?" Panther asked in a panic.

"Guys, I'm getting a reading from inside the house," Oracle announced to the group who entered a ready stance, all except their leader.

"Joker?" Mona asked for the group as all of them were confused by his lack of prudence. In fact, their leader seemed more bemused than anything else.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about from this one," Joker answered cryptically, though his relaxed confidence did assuage them of their nervousness. Though, they kept their guard up in case he was wrong.

"I can give you plenty to worry about if you really want it." Out of the side of the glass door, a girl walked into view at a leisurely pace, her visage sending a shock through everyone but Joker.

"What?"

"No way!"

"But isn't that…" Skull, Panther, and Noir cried in surprise. The little girl herself was unperturbed by their outbursts, smirking at their expense. Once the initial excitement of her appearance had died down, and when she was sure she had everyone's attention, she bowed.

"Hello there, I'm Alicia Testarossa. It's nice to meet most of you," the girl introduced herself to the group, a name that made most of the group think of someone who by all rights should not have stood in front of them. The girl's countenance however, made it difficult to not believe her claim; a dead ringer for Fate Testarossa and the girl in the tube.

"So, this is where you had to return to?" Joker asked as the rest of the thieves were still taking a moment to process the new face. Alicia nodded, as she took in the sight of the confused thieves.

"Hey Joker, it seems that you and Alicia have already met?" Noir asked.

"She's shown up in my dreams occasionally since I returned to Uminari. Not only that, just yesterday she showed up in the Velvet Room." Though it was weird to hear him say as such, the Thieves had experienced enough at this point that dream visions weren't much by comparison. The thieves introduced themselves to Alicia by using their code names. Even though they wanted to use their actual names, it was too risky doing so inside a Palace.

"So, wait, you mean that place with all the cells?" Joker nodded to Skull who had just remembered what the Velvet Room even was.

"Interesting, yet this individual is most likely a cognition, isn't that right?" Fox asked the rest of the group. Oracle shook her head.

"No, this reading is more similar to the ones I got from the VIPs in Shido's palace."

"You mean she might be Alicia's shadow self mixed with Precia's cognition?" Queen's question drudged up everyone's memories of Shido's palace, and how life like Shido's cognitions were, most likely thanks to Shido's close bonds with those individuals.

"I mean, maybe but… I'm getting a reading of something else there as well." Futaba faced contorted into a grimace as she continued to try and make sense of the reading she was getting.

"If you guys are done talking, perhaps you'd like to come inside?" Punctuating her sentence, the door slid open, and a tapping of her foot followed.

"Oh, right yeah…" Skull let his pipe fall to the side as he and the rest of the thieves walked in, bowing their heads one by one to the host on instinct, even Skull. Thanks to the inside though, they forewent the next instinct to take off their shoes.

"How unsightly…" Yusuke muttered. Though the home had seemed normal from what little they could gleam from outside, once inside, parts of the wooden floor were interrupted abruptly by metal paneling with no reasoning or pattern. Large wires that were more like pipes in size, zigged and zagged all about, up and down, across whatever they happened upon; furniture, walls, and décor covered up in the mess. Upon closer inspection, the group realized that some of the wires were coming out of holes in the home.

The holes were a shamble, as if one took a hammer and slammed it right through, cracks and dust sitting as one would expect near it. Curiously, holes that should have logically led to the outside of the not so humble abode also had wires coming out of them, even though the outside looked pristine and unmarred. Even more curious was that when one looked upon said holes it would not provide the idyllic view of the meadow beyond, instead they led to an inky black darkness that yielded nothing. Even when one of the thieves used a phone flashlight to peer into it, not even the slightest hint of anything had shown itself in the darkness.

"What a mess," Noir noted. Easiest to see was how there were cracks of varying sizes all over the dry wall. The pictures on the walls had some manner of destruction, sometimes the picture was torn, a frame in disarray, or the glass cracked to the point where the picture inside was unviewable. Decorations were strewn about on the floor, sometimes tied up in wires, lamps still worked but flickered every so often, and a fire place that was completely covered in ash.

"I mean, I guess it looks like a crazy person's home, the holes into the abyss notwithstanding."

"Oracle, is there any reading from that direction?" Queen pointed to a hall that all the wires seemed to be going to. "All the wires seem to lead towards that hallway."

"Hold on, give me a second." Oracle's attention was taken into a random direction as she focused on the analysis. After a moment a somewhat forgotten voice reminded them of her presence.

"Hm? That way? That's where Mom is," Alicia answered for them. "She's way, way, waaaaay, far down that way." The little girl pointed, standing on her tippy toes to emphasis just how way way waaaaay down she meant. A giggle or two could be heard from the members of the team that were of the more feminine persuasion.

"Alicia's telling the truth. It's faint, but I'm detecting Precia down that hallway," Oracle stated now that her analysis was complete.

"Though it's not like we have much choice," Mona noted as hopped over one of the large wires. "All the other ways are blocked." The other halls, doors, and even the stairs were completely enveloped in the tangled mess of wires just like the one Mona had gone over, blocking all the other ways out of the living room.

"Then that's the way we'll go," Joker stated in order to make sure everyone was on the same page. "That's most likely where we'll find the treasure." As soon as the word treasure left his mouth, he eyed the little girl standing next to them, a confused look on her face, and realizing that they hadn't actually said anything of what they were about to do. A silence permeated the room, the thieves unsure of how to break the news, until one of them spoke up at last.

"Alicia, you don't mind what we're here to do?" Panther asked her in a slow, nervous cadence.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, we're here to steal something from your Mom," Panther clarified when she realized she was still beating around the bush.

"Steal…" Alicia let the word practically droll off her tongue, taking a moment to let it sink in. She tilted her head about, thinking it over. She didn't know why they were here to steal anything. She couldn't think of anything they'd even want to steal. Still though, she remembered that Joker made her a promise, and he didn't seem like the kind to break it. "Will it help her?" Alicia finally asked as she directed her question towards Joker specifically, her eyes directly on him.

"Yeah, it will." he answered without shrinking under her gaze. Alicia closed her eyes and contemplated his answer, another round of thinking commenced.

"Hmm…" She tilted her head left again for a moment, then she tilted it right again for another moment more. The thieves watched, cold sweat forming a couple of them. None of them wanted to have to do anything they didn't want to. Cognition, or whatever, or not, she was still a little girl for all intents and purposes.

Finally, she brought her head back to the center and gave a determined nod. "Okay then, I trust you." A sigh escaped from the mouths of the thieves, relived that they wouldn't have to do anything they'd regret. "But I'm coming with you." The thieves looked at one another, unsure of how to respond.

"Alicia, it might be dangerous down there. Perhaps it would be best if you stayed here," Queen finally spoke.

"Yeah, who knows what we'll encounter in this place. You'll be safer here," Panther added, trying to give her best smile. Alicia's huff however showed that it wasn't as effective as they could have hoped.

"Well, do any of you know magic?"

"Pray tell why we would need magic?" Though it was difficult to see behind his mask, one could tell Fox's brow furrowed in confusion.

"For some of the security doors. They require specific magic sequences to unlock. Unless any of you can use magic, you're going to be stuck." At Alicia's explanation, the thieves all looked at one another. A mutual realization between all of them arose as it dawned on all of them that they probably would need her if what she was saying was true.

"I'm detecting something like barricades… Yeah, the little yellow squirt isn't lying…" Oracle grumbled. Alicia pouted, but they, for the most part, ignored it as best they could. Exasperated sighs and groans could be heard escaping from a couple of the thieves. None wanted to risk danger to a child, cognition, or whatever she was, or not. Regardless, they were more than aware they had no choice. Joker stepped up so as to not waste any more time.

"We don't know what we'll encounter down there, so make sure to stick close to at least one of us at all times. Am I clear?"

"Mhm!" Alicia nodded, her smile showing her satisfaction. "Got it!"

"Alright, then stick close by next to Oracle." None objected to Joker's command, though the orange haired girl did complain under her breath about having to babysit. Once everything looked to be in order, Joker nodded to himself before speaking once more. "Everyone, let's go!"

"Roger!" Without delay they started down the hall. They had quite a ways to go. Two hours and twenty-three minutes remained.

 **-0-0-11-0-0-**

"One more down!" Nanoha confirmed as she watched another armor fall apart from the impact of her spells. They'd finally made it to the bottom floor of giant spiral staircase they were in, taking care of each armor on the way down as they went.

"All clear!" Yuuno's magic circles faded as he turned towards the others. "Nanoha! Behind you!"

"Huh!?" At his warning, Nanoha whipped her self around only to find a giant armor she had missed readying to swing at her. Before she could react in time, its massive sword began its descent right towards her. Nanoha's eyes closed as she braced for the oncoming strike with a magic barrier, only for that blow to never come.

"Thunder Rage!" As the name promised, a boom of thunder fell upon the Armor. As the attack wracked its body its arm froze mid-swing before the rest of it fell limp at the side. Nanoha, recognizing the actions at hand, flew away before it exploded, leaving nothing behind save for scrap.

"Fate!?" Arf was the first to name as she saw the blonde girl fall from above with a controlled grace. The black clad girl flew down until she reached Nanoha, who still looked at her with surprise. However, it didn't last long, as Nanoha's expression soon turned into one of happiness.

"You're here." Fate nodded, but didn't get to do more than that as the orange blur in the corner of her eye approaching her made sure of.

"Fate!" The girl soon found herself in the embrace of her familiar. Muffled crying could be heard as Fate pat the woman's head.

"Arf, I'm sorry I made you worry." The sobs continued for a few seconds more while Yuuno caught up to them. Yuuno stood by Nanoha as the two of them watched silently to give the others space. Once she'd gotten control of herself, Arf let go of her master.

"Are you sure you're okay being up so soon?" Arf asked as she wiped her face. "You don't have to be here if you don't want to."

"I'm fine Arf," Fate answered. "I… I must end this with my own hands. I can't start again until then." Arf looked at the blonde girl, trying to see even the smallest crack in her resolve, but Fate looked unwavering and firm. Arf could see a determination in her master that she'd never seen before. Though she wanted to tell Fate to rest some more, that desire left her as she continued to match Fate's gaze.

"Alright, Fate." Arf stood back, finally giving the girl space to stand on her own. Fate gave a thankful nod before turning to Nanoha and Yuuno.

"Where are the others?" She asked, as she found them to be short quite a few people. She tried to search for him, her movements a bit frenetic, only to find that the one she wanted to see aside from Nanoha was nowhere to be found.

"Chrono stayed behind to take care of the reinforcements outside," Yuuno answered. "He's holding the entrance down until our own forces can get back up and running."

"Then where's Ren?" Fate came out and finally asked with the decorum of a sack of bricks. Nanoha and Yuuno looked at one another, both unsure of what to say. Fate frowned when she was not given a timely response. "Did something happen to him? Is he alright?"

"No! No! He's fine… I think? It's…" Nanoha raced to answer her. "Ren's doing something else right now, but it's something to do with your mom. He says he can save her, but I don't know how. Still I think we can trust him. If he says he can do it, then he'll definitely do it!" Save her mother? How? What could he be doing and where? As wonderful as it would be for such a notion, it was something she had to do. Regardless of the circumstances, if he wasn't here, then they had to concentrate on what they could do now. If he was fine, she could talk to him later.

Looking around once more she could see more soldiers coming up on them. These soldiers were bigger than the ones that had just been dispatched, sporting artillery cannons and if her readings were correct, then their barriers were stronger as well. An uphill, difficult battle was more than promised by the display.

"Uh…" Nanoha looked upon the new wave of enemies nervously, seemingly larger than the last. She'd already fought many on their way this far in, and here new foes continued to emerge in a seemingly endless supply. She was beginning to feel exhausted, and yet they still hadn't reached their goal.

"We should be able to take care of them, if the two of us work together." Nanoha looked at the other girl in surprise before happily giving a nod back, as she felt some strength return to her.

"Yeah, together!" The two of them, alongside Arf and Yuuno, readied themselves. They still had a lot further to go, but now with Fate by their side, the burden felt lighter.

"Let's go!" Nanoha cried as she and the others charged further ahead.

 **-0-0-11-0-0-**

"And there we go!" At the little girl's word, a pair of doors slid open once their seal had been undone. The thieves looked bewilderment at the sight that lay before them.

"What the hell…" Skull let out as he looked upon the broken, dilapidated staircase that led down into the depths. To be clear, the stairs were the only thing they could see in front of them. There were no walls, or ground beneath them. The stairs seemed to hang in an abyss of what looked to be a static filled void, broken by what looked to cracks in reality itself. Though they could see the occasional bit of floating rubble and sometimes even what looked to be sections of room, there wasn't any clear path that could allow them access to these far-off chunks of land in the void.

"Nothing here either…" Oracle mumbled worryingly as she scanned the area before them now that the seal had been dealt with. "I still can't detect a single shadow…"

"Hey Mona, do you have any idea why we haven't encountered any shadows so far?" Panther asked while trying not to be creeped out by the sights around them.

"I'm not sure. Palaces are supposed to draw in shadows without exception, with those who have greater corruption drawing in stronger shadows. It's not supposed to be this empty, ever, for anyone who can manifest a palace. Heck they aren't supposed to be such a straightforward line like this one either." As he had said, once they'd started down the hallway with Alicia in tow, it had simply been a straight line with only the most insubstantial of obstacles in the form of slightly awkward placements of wires, holes in the ground, or the occasional stop whenever Alicia had to open a seal using magic. To most of the thieves, such a strange palace left them feeling on edge.

"Hey are we going yet? We still have some way to go until we get to Mom." Alicia's remark reminded them of their goal. Even if things were strange, they couldn't turn back now. They had to go forward no matter what.

"She's right. One at a time, and be careful going down," Joker commanded, looking unperturbed by the scenery before them. Skull and Panther took the lead, followed by Fox and Queen, Joker and Alicia were after, and lastly Noir, Oracle, and Mona were in the back. Silence pervaded the walk down as they carefully sidestepped holes in the stairs that varied in size and steepness.

Their footsteps did not even echo like it did in the rooms prior to their descent, instead only making a sound as it met the step, and that sound immediately dying right after. Combined with the eerie scenery around them, it made it too difficult to speak for even a slight moment of levity. At least for most of them. Alicia stopped in her tracks, causing those behind her to jolt to a stop.

"Woah! What's the hold up?" Mona yelped as they tried to gather themselves from the sudden delay.

"That's… my room…" Alicia said, pointing to a distant floating block in the void, walls missing to give view of what lay inside it.

"I'd call it cute if it weren't for the… well… everything else." Panther was a bit taken in by the pink wall paper, and girl toys that were strewn on the floor. The furniture was equally adorable and suited someone at Alicia's age. However, it was floating in a backdrop of a broken, static world prevented her from being able to compliment it in full.

"She still remembers how it looks like." No one had to ask who it was exactly that remembered it. "Mommy was always busy at work. She didn't spend a lot of time at home," Alicia began to explain. "But it was okay, because she was working hard so that we could have a place to stay, food to eat, and clothes to wear. Even then she tried to spend as much time at home with me as she could even though she was so busy." Joker realized that neither she nor Fate mentioned anything of a father, making it clearer what kind of situation Precia was in with her daughter. "One day though, they forced her to speed up the experiment. They still needed three months, but the committee wanted it in one. Despite mommy's pleas, she was forced to do as they ordered."

"How do you know all this?" Noir asked when it became clear to her that these memories couldn't possibly be Alicia's.

"I just… I just know them," Alicia said with an apologetic smile, before continuing. None of them stopped her, wanting to know more of what happened in the girls recounting. "Like mommy predicted though, something went wrong with the experiment. Things broke down and the lab exploded. We lived nearby to the lab. I guess I and everyone around it was caught in the accident. Ever since then…" Alicia's voice trailed as she failed to find the words to describe what had become of that kind mother. No one needed such a description. Though they stood there for a bit of time, urgency dictated they had to keep moving.

"Okay, that's enough story time. I think it's time we get going." In silence, they continued back down, resolve reaffirmed by new knowledge of the past. One hour and fifty-seven minutes remaining.

 **-0-0-11-0-0-**

"Looks like this is it," Queen said as the stairs finally ended, leading to an open doorway floating in the middle of space.

Each of them hurried in, not wanting to address how the cracks in the void seemed to grow more numerous in number, how the static quickened in pace with each step down, and that the amount of floating rubble in the distance grew fewer and fewer. They didn't want to talk about what that could have meant for the mind they were inside, nor the face that seemed to appear in the static for but a fraction of a second.

They ignored it as best they could and ran in even faster. They tried not to notice how the face seemed to flicker more and more frequently as they approached the exit, and noises that weren't quite screaming, weren't quite whispering started to be made, nor how it seemed to closer and closer. They definitely did not notice how the face seemed to multiply and it's black eyed, bleeding gaze stared at them as they now ran down the stairs. Not at all. Once they were all inside, they fell to the floor, panting as their hearts beat at a wild rate.

"Let's not talk about any of that ever again, agreed?" Skull wheezed out between hard breaths as he tried to calm himself down.

"Agreed," the entire group save for Alicia said in unison. The girl was instead preoccupied by something else.

"Alicia, what's wrong?" Noir asked as she noticed the girl was distracted. The rest of the group looked around. They were currently inside a medium sized rectangular metal room that was longer than it was wide with an aesthetic matching that of the Arthra in basic structure and design. Given that Precia was from the same place, it would make sense for a similar room to be in her memories. While they could spot a door on the far end that was most likely their next destination, in front of it, someone stood.

"Who goes there?" As if the person, at the same time they noticed her, in turn was made aware of their presence. The brown-haired woman, who looked to be in her early twenties, wore a matching ensemble of brown and white clothing matched by white hat with a crossing brown pattern. Her clothes were simple but somewhat fashionable, hugging her body and showing off a modest bit of her cleavage. In her hand was a simple wand with a blue staff and yellow orb at its head; a wand that was readied and aimed at the group.

The thieves readied their weapons at the threat, each taking a battle stance. Wordlessly, Joker commanded with gestures and eye movements for Skull, Panther, and Mona to move forward while the others were to gather around Alicia and Oracle.

"For what purpose do you intruders intend upon this place?" The woman asked, her demeanor unchanged by the display in front of her. No answer came to her as the thieves watched her, and she in turn watched them for any sudden movements, or signs of battle.

"I see, then allow me to introduce myself if you will not. I am Rynith, familiar to the owner of this place, or at least the memories of such a person. If it is your wish to proceed further, then it is my duty to stop you."

"Joker, of the Phantom thieves," their leader answered in courtesy as a gentleman ought to.

"I see you do have some manners, though not enough to leave this place well enough alone."

"Sorry about that, but we're here because we have a promise to keep. If we have to go through you, then so be it." Joker pointed his gun at her, mimicking her stance with her wand.

"Unfortunate that I must fight you, your entourage, and that dashing gentleman over there." The thieves looked at each other in confusion as Rynith's gaze fell upon their smallest member. Mona in turn felt bewildered by the singling out but returned to focus.

"While I must thank you for the compliment, flattery will get you nowhere," Mona responded. "We must proceed beyond where you stand my lady. My apologies in advance for our actions henceforth."

"A shame. Well then, without further ado. If you must continue, then there is only one thing I can do in response." A light began to glow from the tip of Rynith's wand, causing the thieves to ready themselves for the oncoming attack.

"Stoooooop!"

"Alicia!" Oracle yelled as she saw the girl breakaway from her and run in front of them. Her sudden appearance caused all to stop in their tracks as she ran up to Rynith. The woman herself was frozen as she looked upon Alicia's visage, as if she was seeing a ghost, or perhaps it was someone else.

"So, you're Alicia; Precia's daughter."

One hour and thirty-one minutes remaining.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

Writer's block is fun. Even more fun when you have excuses to do other things like playing Kingdom Hearts 3, Tales of Vesperia DE, Devil May Cry 5, and Etrian Odyssey Nexus. Man, what a great first quarter of the year for games and getting my hands on the new Fate game on PS4 is giving me more reasons to not write some more, alongside trying to find new ways to bully DMC5's final boss with Royal Guard.

Anyways, this is the first part of the end. We're coming to the final few chapters now. Most of the stuff for the Cannon Nanoha bits were rewritten to better fit a written medium rather than the original medium that was an anime. I also modified some events to better fit how this story was flowing, but for the most part it's following cannon with some slight hints of the changes Ren has made by his inclusion. I'm a stickler for wanting to be as cannon as possible and deviating not too outlandishly, but still enough to justify the existence of the cross over. That's just the way I am. Even then I did include Rynith who didn't appear animated until the movies and debuted in a drama CD. Not that that's new for Japanese media.

Speaking of Ren, I hope the idea of Precia's palace is coming across. It's not meant to be normal because Precia isn't normal. She's not so much corrupted as she is broken. Perhaps I'm being blunt about it in the way I designed her palace, but hey Persona tends to pretty blunt too. Anyways we'll see that idea of broken continue in the next chapter, on their side of the events. It's also where the greatest changes to Nanoha's cannon will begin as well.

Well that's it for now. I hope you guys enjoyed what you read, and had a great time. I hope to see you all again. Be sure to leave a review to tell me how I'm doing and how I can improve as always. Have a great rest of your day and take care.


	12. Chapter 12: Cracked Ego

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Cracked Ego**

"You do resemble Fate, or should I say that Fate resembles you," Rynith stated in a daze, her eyes glazed over as she perused Alicia's features. Perhaps she wanted to find even the slightest bit of difference, but every physical trait that could be gleamed was a complete match for Fate's own. The differences instead came from the way those traits were worn. Alicia's bearing held greater energy and confidence, standing taller and surer of herself. Fate by comparison felt more so reserved and demure. There were physical differences, but those had come from the way the girls had been… raised. Rynith did not dwell on those thoughts, did not want to dwell on them.

"I can see now how Precia had most likely came to despair." The greater the resemblance, the more pronounced the differences become. Rynith had always wondered why her master had treated Fate so cruelly, and now that she has seen with her own eyes the girl which Fate was meant to be, the answer now seemed so obvious that it bordered on the comical.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing… nothing that matters anymore," Rynith shook her head of idling thoughts as she replied to Alicia. "More importantly, tell me. Why do you aid these intruders?" She asked, pointing her staff at Joker and the rest of the Thieves. "Did you not hear them before, how they have come to take what is left of Precia's heart?"

"What is left?" Joker mumbled, trying to figure out if there was any greater meaning to that turn of phrase.

"I was the one who asked them to come."

"What?" Rynith's face broke into astonishment at Alicia's declaration.

"Well… sort of. I didn't know this is what they meant, but I was the one who asked them to save Mom. Apparently to do that, they have to take her heart." Rynith collected herself as she heard Alicia's explanation. Her head shook in pity, wondering how Alicia could be so naïve before remembering how old she was when she departed the world of the living.

"There is no saving that woman now. Master… your mother, has gone too far to stop now. The mistakes she's made have pushed her further and further to the point that you cannot bring her back. I am sorry."

"But we should still try!" Alicia stamped her foot, her face becoming flushed as began to talk back. "You don't know for sure that Mom can't be saved!"

"The woman doesn't want to be saved to begin with." Now it was Alicia's turn to be confused, her mouth agape trying to form words of any sort, but she had difficulty trying to form a single coherent thought. Her mother didn't want to be saved?

"What?" Was all Alicia could ask, still unsure of what she'd just heard.

"Precia does not have the necessary amount of Jewel Seeds to reach Al Hazard. That doesn't even include the fact that using them to reach Al Hazard is an untested theory that has not gone under the proper planning stages for basic safety, let alone success. Of all people, she should be someone who values safety and procedure, and yet she does not care in the slightest." A pause held as the group looked amongst themselves, cautious on the meaning Rynith meant to convey. Only the low hum of the facility around made any appreciable noise.

"So, she doesn't care if she dies?" Joker, finally understanding what Rynith hinted at.

"But that's-"

"Close," Rynith interrupted Alicia to say. "Precia only wants one thing at this point: to be with you, Alicia. How she accomplishes that, either by reaching Al Hazard, or death, it appears she is not picky on the matter. Though I doubt whether or not she's given it any greater thought at all."

"No, that can't be… that's not what I wanted. That's not what I want at all," Alicia's hands fell to the floor as she felt her heart crumble in her chest. "Mom… why?" Joker knelt down and placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. A grimace twisted into form on his face as he watched the girl sob. As much as she tried to smother it, it was still clear enough to hear, even by those standing farthest away from her. With his hand still comforting Alicia, he turned to face Rynith.

"That doesn't change anything. We're still going to save Precia, regardless of her desires." Rynith scowled at the gall the young man had to say such a brazen thing. It seemed she wasn't the only one surprised as his fellows had also fallen into a small uproar.

"Joker!"

"What are you saying!?"

Rynith felt the ears under her hat curl a bit from the sudden outburst as those, and variations thereof, were the only things Rynith was able to make out of the messy cacophony that she heard from the other end of the room; nothing of any real substance. Once the noise had died down, she spoke again.

"Did you not hear what I had just said? Precia does not wish for such a thing."

"And I should care how?" Joker responded with a smug indifference. "I don't care about what Precia wants."

"B-but Ren, what about your promise?" Alicia pleaded, tugging at his trousers. He placed a hand on her head, patting it gently and giving a kind smile.

"Let me finish, okay?" He asked her in a soft tone of voice before turning back to Rynith. "I don't care what Precia wants. What I do care about though, is what Alicia wants, as well as what Fate wants. And what they want is their mother back. So to that end, who cares what Precia thinks about that? And the only thing left standing in our way is you and that door." Joker pointed past her, at the door that Rynith guarded.

"Now then, we're running out of time. If we're going to fight, then let's get this over with." His mask pinged a tinge of blue as he walked forward, readying his knife in hand. Seeing this, the rest of the thieves got into similar positions. They had a job to do, and thanks to their leader, the will to do it once more.

Rynith's eyes darted about, eyeing each of the weapons that came into view. It was an eccentric collection, but nonetheless the group brought out their arms with familiarity. They knew how to use those weapons. Their eccentricity not being enough to hide their competency. Despite the heavy atmosphere however, Joker appeared ever calm. Watching, waiting, anticipating when she was going to move. She steadied her breaths, readying herself for the action she was about to take. She hoped it would be the correct one. Once she was finally ready, she acted.

"Fine then." She saw them tense up but only for a moment. That was because she had proceeded to turn around. She raised her hand, and not a moment later the door opened to reveal a hallway further into the facility. When she turned back around to face them, it was clear they had not expected that at all. The uncouth blonde young man in particular almost dropped his weapon to the ground, clumsily catching right before impact, but still making a fool of himself.

"Well… alright then." Rynith took pleasure in having pulled rug out from under the usually smug young man but hid it to the best of her abilities. At least until they'd put their weapons away, after which they walked up to her in a casual, almost inviting fashion. "So what's prompted this?"

"A change of heart perhaps?" She heard a snicker escape from someone in the group but she wasn't familiar enough with their voices to tell who it was. Despite their attempts to remain anonymous, it was easy to feel an air of amusement emanate from the young adults.

"I suppose we can accept that, but care to spare a detail or two?" Fox asked.

"Fate desires as such, yes?" Joker nodded as his eyes still focused on her. Rynith wished to applaud him as his guard had yet to drop but kept it to herself. "Then I suppose that shall be my reason, and I ask that we leave it at that. We are, as you say, pressed for time. Ah yes, that does mean that I am coming with you."

"Thank you, Lady Rynith. Your cooperation is most appreciated." Mona bowed in thanks.

"Th-think nothing of it. I am just happy to be of service to a gentleman of your caliber." Rynith turned away, but Joker could swear he saw the slightest shade of pink plastered on her cheeks before going out of view. And it seems he wasn't the only one to notice.

"Ooh… someone's made a new friend," Panther teased.

"P-Panther it is not what you think! I am just giving her the proper respect she deserves as a-"

"Okay Mona, enough with the flirting," Oracle said as a couple of screens faded out of existence that the others had only noticed after hearing her speak up. "The hall appears to be a few miles long. Seeing as there's so much space in this hall though, here's your chance to impress your new lady friend."

"You're mistaken I'm just… ugh, fine." Without missing a beat, the not-a-cat jumped into the air and a large puff of smoke obscured him before a decently sized bus landed in front of them with a not-a-cat like grace. The thieves were already making way into the cat bus as the two new additions stood in surprise.

"Wow!" Alicia shouted, excited by the change Mona had undergone. She had become giddy and seemed ready to burst into a run around the bus. "It's just like one of those animes from Earth!"

"Magnificent…" Joker wasn't sure if Rynith said that, given how quietly she whispered it, but she probably wouldn't repeat as such if he were to ask.

"Come on then, you two should get on as well. It'll be a bit cramped, but just deal with it until we get to the end of the hall." At Joker's prompting, the two hopped into the bus. After a bit of logistical rearrangement, Joker put the pedal to the metal; the engine echoing in the empty, massive hallway down into the core of the facility.

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

An explosion ruptured the massive door, blasting away several soldiers that stood nearby to pieces. Whatever was not in a ruined mess was but a few good shots away from it. Four figures flew out from the dust into the room, firing magic at those that remained standing. As the group landed near the middle of the room to get their bearings, one of them spoke in a commanding fashion to be heard over the battle.

"There, you can get to the reactor through that elevator," Fate informed Nanoha, keeping her eyes trained on the automatons that were still active. Nanoha turned to where Fate had pointed at to find an elevator, thankfully untouched by the previous bombardment. She then fired a couple more shots towards some approaching golems before turning back to face Fate.

"Got it… and you're going to head over to where your mom is?" Nanoha asked, to which all Fate responded with was a nod. Nanoha felt just a bit forlorn. She wanted to work with Fate for a little while longer. However, if they were to succeed, if they were to work together in the future, then this is where they had to part ways. She had to remember that this was all for Fate, so she did the only thing she could think of: seeing Fate off properly.

Without Fate realizing it, Nanoha had placed her hands over Fate's, holding them in both of her own. Nanoha's hands held Fate's firm and steady, an act that made her notice how much her hands were trembling, a combination of nerves and fatigue. Before Fate knew what to make of the situation, Nanoha then said, "I'm sure that Ren would probably know something better to say at a time like this but… good luck."

The words were simple, nothing at all special really, but they set Fate's heart at ease, releasing some tension in her body; her trembling hands began to calm. She was… happy to hear them.

"Thank you." She didn't know if that was enough, but it was the only thing she could think to say. At the very least it seemed like that was enough given Nanoha's smile right back at her. The moment was cut short though as Yuuno spoke up.

"I've checked the readings in the facility. It seems Chrono's headed straight for Precia. If we don't hurry, he'll get to her first before Fate can get a chance to talk to her."

"You heard him then. Fate we have to move now!" At Arf's insistence, Fate broke her hands free of Nanoha's, albeit a bit reluctantly. There wasn't much actual resistance as Nanoha understood why, but for some reason it felt heavy despite that. As Fate was leaving-

"…" Nanoha hadn't quite caught what Fate had said.

"Hmm? What?" It took a moment before Fate spoke again, this time just a little bit louder.

"… good luck to you too…" Fate and Arf flew off to wherever Precia was. She stood there, even well after Fate and Arf had disappeared past a corner in the ruins.

"Nanoha, we should get going too," Yuuno said, shaking her shoulder to get her attention.

"R-right, everyone's doing their part, we should too. Let's go!" The two of them rushed towards the elevator, hopping inside and immediately pushing the button to head towards the reactor. To Nanoha's surprise it didn't take long at all before they'd reached their floor. The two of them stayed inside, taking a bit of a breather and gather themselves before moving out. The silence felt heavy, weighing on her in a way that kept her from speaking. Her mind scrambled for a topic before giving up. She just looked at the boy next to her, and the two of them wordlessly nodded towards one another. They'd had enough rest.

"Nanoha, my sensors show that there are enemies all over the place."

"How many is that?"

"Too many to count," Yuuno remarked with a grim expression. When he realized he was being a bit negative, he shook his head to clear it of such thoughts. "I'll concentrate on defense. You focus on taking them down," he stated, this time trying to be as positive as he could.

"Like always then?"

"Well, we're lacking a certain thief and cat, but I think we'll be fine." Yuuno's cheeky grin got a giggle out of the girl. "Can't rely on them all the time. As the senior mage, I have to prove my worth every now and then, right?"

"Right! Thank you, Yuuno."

"It's nothing. Now, on my signal. Three, Two, One…" The Elevator doors swung open, and the two flew out to meet the army standing between them and their objective. All they had to do now was win.

"Divine Shooter! Full Power!"

One hour and twenty minutes remaining.

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

"End of the road, it would seem," Joker said as he pulled the black bus to a screeching halt in front of the massive blast door at the end of the hall. He found it eerie how clean it had been ever since they'd reached Rynith's room. Here especially the door looked pristine, immaculate, new. Not a single gaping hole into nothingness, no mess of wires, nothing of the sort, not even a speck of dust or the faintest scratch. He couldn't even see any wear on the ground after having been driven on. Everything seemed… normal, if a bit overly clean.

Joker stepped lightly out the door as it swung open. Even though the ground was flat, it felt like one wrong step could send him careening off… something. The occupants filed out as quickly as they could after Joker, each of them looking over themselves to make sure they were ready. They remained silent, the tension choking any desire to make conversation. Eventually though, the elephant in the room had to be brought to attention.

"That's a pretty sturdy door," Mona finally was able to say. "I'm not seeing anything we could use to circumvent it, so how are we going to get past it?"

"It's magically sealed," Rynith answered. "A standard security measure for the kind of work Precia used to be a part of. Each door would be given a unique magic lock in order to ensure maximum security and safety. However, as Precia's familiar I can open it whenever you're ready to confront her."

"I'm sensing something behind the door. It's probably Precia like she said. But that's weird… the signal is all over the place." Oracle's face scrunched into a frown as she kept went over the odd readings again to try and make sense of them.

"Unfortunately, it's not like we have time to ponder on what that could mean," Fox pointed out. "I believe we're all ready. We await your signal, Joker." Joker looked over the team once more, all of them as determined as they always were. However, his team weren't the only ones there. Though the familiar seemed ready as well, the little blonde girl with them appeared to still have reservations. In what was likely to be an intense, high stress situation, that wasn't anything but a liability. If need be…

"You can stay out here if you want Alicia," Panther offered to the girl, who jumped a bit when addressed so suddenly.

"It can be difficult confronting a parent, even if you think what you're doing is for the best. It's not something everyone can do, or even want to do," Noir added, trying to assuage Alicia who began to look down at her feet. Suddenly though, the girl shook her head, and stood tall, her face full of courage and resolve.

"No, I'm coming with you. I need to talk to mother, and if I don't do it now, I don't think I'll be able to ever again. So please, let me see this through to the end." Though her voice wasn't loud, it had been firm. The thieves were collectively taken aback by Alicia's strong declaration. A singe glance between them was all it took to come to an agreement. With their own history in mind, they could never have refused, even if some of them still wanted to out of concern for her safety.

"Alright, you can come with us. We don't know what will happen after we open this door, so stick close to one of us as much as you can, okay?" Queen told Alicia.

"Yes ma'am," Alicia answered, the smile returning to her face. Right, Joker thought, this was what they were doing this for. He then wondered if Fate could ever smile like that too. Only if they win could that little curiosity be answered.

"If that's settled, Rynith, if you could so kindly show us in." At Joker's behest, Rynith nodded and proceeded to open the door. A massive magic circle appeared over the door, turning ever so quickly, probably the lock Joker thought. But then it began to slow. It slowed and slowed until finally it stopped. Crack, they all heard before they realized that such a thing had appeared on the circle. Then another crack, and then another, until the circle broke entirely into a shower of glittering residue. Then at last, the hydraulics started, metal screeched into place, and the door creaked as it moved out of the way. It was time to introduce themselves to their gracious host.

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

"Nanoha and Yuuno, are currently engaged with the force protecting the reactor. At this rate they'll soon have the area cleared and the core ready for sealing. Fate and Arf are headed to the bottom floor as we speak. Huh? Woah!" Amy braced herself as she felt a tremor erupt throughout the ship. Despite the way her entire world shook, she pushed through to speak on the comm links. "Ma'am the tremors ar-"

"Don't worry, I'm working to suppress them as we speak," Lindy said, her voice coming through the main monitor at the front of the ship. On it, Lindy could be seen standing at the entrance to the Garden of Time in the middle of a huge magic circle, a set of fairy like wings protruding from her back. They began to glow an ethereal green, bathing the world around her in a soft, inviting, and warm light. Soon the tremors began to die down, but the woman maintained her vigilance.

"They're getting stronger…" The time space tremors from the immense magic produced by the Jewel Seeds was beginning to worry her. At this rate they'd even reach Earth if they hadn't already. "Concentrate…" She had more to do than just suppress them, such were the duties of a Commander.

"Precia Testorrossa, can you hear me? Please lay down your staff and surrender immediately. The reactor will soon be sealed, and we have an Enforcer headed towards your location." Lindy sent the message directly to the Sorceress. "Al Hazard is naught but a myth. Any chance it may be real… are you truly willing to bet on such slim odds?"

"The odds are perfectly fine. Al Hazard simply lies in the gap between time and space. Where the glimmers fall in between those gaps must be where Al Hazard lie-!" Precia hacked a cough as she finished speaking, the blood on the ground thickening more and more with each evulsion of her lungs. She wheezed as she struggled to remain upright; her legs shaking, and her vision teetering into darkness.

"Even if the chances were as slim as you say. They are better than the guarantee of my little Alicia never waking again. In Al Hazard, I can make everything right again! There I can finally reject the mistakes of this world. None of this is how it was supposed to be." She placed her hand on the glass Alicia's tube, making a motion as if she was caressing a cheek. "I can bring back our past, and our future. I can right those wrongs!"

"I see. If that is how you feel, then so be it. I shall let my enforcer speak for himself." That was the last Precia heard from Lindy, as she felt the connection cut off into dormancy; inactive but waiting. She returned to gathering the energy she needed. She hadn't the time to mind any distractions any longer. However, she would not be afforded such a boon.

A beam of light pierced the area above her, followed by an explosion in the distance. The force of the explosion, even at such a distance, caused her feeble body to sway. She leaned against Alicia's tube. She refused to falter now, even if she needed outside powers to achieve such. She craned her neck as best she could to see from where the explosion came from. Emerging from the rubble was a young boy in black, bloody and beaten, but still standing.

"Everyone has something they believe isn't how things are supposed to be," Chrono began as he staggered his breathing. Once he had gotten his breath back, he continued his approach, his device aimed and steady. "Everyone has mistakes they want to correct. Like everyone else you have a right to fight or run away as you see fit. No one can blame you for the choices you made to yourself under the circumstances. But what you don't have is the right to rope innocent people into your selfish, fatalistic depression!"

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

"I've sealed the reactor core!" Nanoha shouted into the comms with a haggard breath, as she clutched the red jewel she assumed to be the core. "Yuuno is taking care of the rest of the soldiers. We'll be finished in just a bit."

"Good work! Return to the ship. Chrono has made contact with Precia and will proceed to subdue. Your job is over now," Lindy said in congratulations, though she was still focused on monitoring Chrono's situation and keeping the tremors at bay.

"Wait, what about Fate?"

"I believe our sensors picked up her presence heading down to where Precia is. She seems to be taking a route from above and will arrive there soon. Chrono is there so she should be fine." So that was it then. Her role was finished. It was over, but even gripping tight the jewel in her hand did not set her at ease.

"I'm heading there as well!" She declared without a second thought, as she started to fly back to the elevator.

"No, the facility is becoming increasingly unstable. If Chrono fails to properly subdue Precia, the place might collapse in its entirety. Evacuate back to the Arthra immediately. That's an order!" Lindy commanded. She didn't need this, not now of all times. "Nanoha, do you hear me? Please, for your own safety, return to the ship."

"Yuuno!" Nanoha called to the boy once she'd caught a glimpse of him, the last of the robotic soldiers falling to pieces before him. "Catch!" Before he had even finished turning around, she'd thrown the reactor core towards him.

"Huh? Woah!" Though it fumbled in his hands a bit, Yuuno had managed to catch it, albeit needing to take a bit of an awkward stance to do so. "Nanoha, wha-"

"I'm heading to where Fate is. Take care of that for me, okay?"

"But… Alright! Stay Safe!" Yuuno replied, realizing that the girl was already speeding away. Not even Ren would be enough to stop her at that point.

"See you back on the ship!" Nanoha, with a final wave goodbye, disappeared behind the elevator doors. Yuuno sighed and made peace with the fact that he wasn't going to like reopening his comms in the next few minutes to make his report. All he could do now was pray for their success.

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

Chrono surveyed the room for traps whilst making sure to look out for any sudden movements by Precia. He was injured, so any gambit by an experienced opponent could easily spell failure. Once he was sure that the room was cleared, he began to move in. However, before Chrono could move any further in to subdue Precia, a second explosion, softer than his own, erupted from above. Debris fell from where the explosion had come from while smoke

Though Chrono wanted to move in regardless of the new addition, something in the way the blonde girl carried herself prevented him from doing so. Far from the empty wreck he remembered from aboard the ship, Fate now stood firm, determined. Precia was the first to try and speak, only for her throat to sear with pain, like knives stuck in her throat. The Sorceress heaved, first spit, then more blood than she had already spilled.

"Mother!"

"Why are you here!? I've told you that you're no longer of any use to me." Fate had found herself stopped by her mother's words, but only for a moment. She hadn't come all this way to betray herself again, especially not when she came bolstered by the good will of Nanoha and Ren.

"I came all this way to tell you something." Fate placed a hand on her heart. She could feel the beating even through her glove and clothes. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she knew she only had once chance to say this and needed to say it write; her declaration to her mother. "I… I am not Alicia Testarossa! I am Fate Testarossa, and though I might be just a doll that you created, I am your daughter that you brought into this world and raised from my birth."

A feeling swelled in Precia's chest. However, this time it was not one of pain. It was something completely different. It slowly built as she listened to Fate speak. Word after word it grew stronger and stronger. Eventually, when she could not contain it anymore, she let it out without hesitation or restraint.

She laughed. She bellowed, as hard as her weak body would allow. It was a soft, almost wheeze like laughter, even as it came from her belly. For her though, it was a laugh that was hard enough that she could not see the sadness that grew on Fate's expression. Not that she would have cared, not that she could allow herself to care. When enough of her amusement had left her, she spoke with a trace of her amusement still on her lips.

"Really? That's what you had to say? Are you telling me to think of you as a daughter even after all I've said to you? After all I've done to you?" Precia asked as she looked at Fate with pity, wondering just how this doll could have been so ridiculous as to believe that Precia could ever love her. Even so that was the reality before her, and Precia could not help but find such lunacy anything but a joke. Even in the face of such clear derision however, Fate continued on.

"Mother, I would do anything for you. I would protect you from everything that ever would want to hurt you. If you asked me to, I would have fought any enemy to keep you safe. I would have given everything for you," Fate said, her heart feeling light as she spoke, finally able to say what she wanted.

"Even after all you have said, none of that has changed. Even now I'll do everything I can to protect you." Fate raised Bardiche, an act prompted Chrono to hastily prepare himself. This wasn't good. In his current condition he couldn't hope to ward off two mages of their caliber. However, as he tried to calculate his next move, Fate had readied Bardiche, not at him, but at Precia.

"I'll protect you from anything that hurts you, even if that thing is yourself."

A sigh escaped from Precia's lips. Though she had been amused by Fate's previous antics, this time it was simply annoying. Worst of all, was that this doll had decided to get in her way. She was so close, but now her tool had turned against her at the eleventh hour. She supposed she should tie up loose ends. She couldn't leave anything to chance now more than ever.

"Fine. It would seem that I have one last piece of trash that needs to be disposed of. Come then, little doll. Come here so that mother can finally throw you away!"

One hour remaining.

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

"Move out!" The group rushed into the dark room, their weapons at the ready. They cautiously tried to scan through the darkness. A dim set of lights from what looked to be LED tubing at the sides of the room in four equidistant corners wasn't enough to see anything substantial. Even after barging into the room as loudly as they had, it lay strangely quiet, too quiet.

"Careful, not even I have been in this room," Rynith warned them, as she tried to use her senses to locate Precia's shadow.

"Oracle, where is she?" Joker asked as he gave the signal to group together to avoid an ambush.

"I don't know! I said earlier that I'm getting a reading from all over the room, and that's still true. It's like she's all over the place."

"Is she the room itself?" Panther asked, as she held onto Alicia with her SMG in her other hand.

"No… I'm getting distinct signatures, like stars in the sky, and they all seem to be connected…"

"What does that mea-"

"Woah!"

"Jesus, Skull! What the hell!?" Panther yelled.

"N-now's not the time for jokes Skull!" Queen said in a more threatening tone than usual.

"It's not my fault! I tripped on… I tripped on… this?" When Skull looked down on the ground what he saw seemed to be a mess of red and blue wiring, but in the center were what looked to be chains. As he looked at them, they pulsed with a familiar, but unnatural rhythm. Instead of focusing on that detail, his eyes followed them to the end where he saw- "What… the… hell?"

A hand; what lay at the end of the wire and chain was a hand. However, the hand itself was broken, but not in the way flesh was supposed to be broken. The fingers disconnected and shattered into pieces like glass rather than flesh, held together tenuously by smaller wiring and chains. It was as if the reality of the hand had been shattered.

"It's… it's giving off Precia's signature…" Oracle told them while trying to keep from letting loose her stomach contents.

"Mona do you-" A light turned on with a thunderous noise announcing its arrival. Then another light, then another. Joker had lost track of how many had turned on, his senses too busy dealing with the sudden increase in luminosity until at last, the room had become fully lit. Once Joker was no longer dazed, he scanned the room as quickly as he could, only for him to once again slow down as he couldn't really make out what he was seeing.

Patchwork was how Joker would describe it. Parts of the room were the kind he expected to see, a laboratory facility where experiments might take place in, or maybe even a reactor. He hadn't the experience with such things to reasonably tell.

Others however were of the home that lay at the top of the palace, twisted and elongated to fit the room in whatever way they could, but in a way like it was a 3D image file being stretched unnaturally to cover the space. In another corner he could see what was clearly the meadow from outside, but he couldn't even begin to understand the space as it seemed like it lead outside, but was then cut off unnaturally by the other walls it was attached to. A school, playground, cafes, all of them littered the walls either by distorting the space they occupied or, like the home space, stretched like space shouldn't.

"I… recognize those places. That's my school, the park where mommy used to take me, and over there was my favorite cake shop." Alicia listed off what she could remember but seemed to stumble at a few others. Joker guessed that it was a horrible mish mash of places important to Precia, which would include places Alicia was familiar with.

Looking further around he realized that cracks were forming everywhere, some were even already open, revealing that static black beyond they had passed earlier, only it had now become more chaotic if it was even possible. He didn't want to look to closely in them, as he felt he could see that mad visage of a person again from within that distorted space. He could even hear that low wailing, and crackle. He turned his focus elsewhere, as he couldn't afford to be distracted.

In doing so he found others like the arm, parts of a human body strewn about the room. He could tell something that resembled a leg, clothing that covered what he guessed could have been part (or at least the outer part) of a torso, the forearm of a different arm, and even parts that would normally have been on the inside. They were all strewn about and shattered in a similar manner to the hand, only some had stuck to the walls or ceiling.

While some of them seemed to actively cling to the surfaces they were attached to, and other were more like they were stickered on by some invisible force. He swore some of them twitched, but he didn't want to check to be sure. He didn't want to tally it all up either, but he was certain most if not all the parts would be accounted for, just based on the sheer number.

Joker then realized that all the pieces he saw were wired and chained; each little fragment was connected. All of it was a tangled mess, strewn about without thought or reason, but they all seemed to converge somewhere. He followed the wires with his eyes as the team was still coming to grips with what they were seeing. And then finally he found it: the convergence point. They all converged in a small little part of the room off to the side, near one of the giant vertical tube structures that held the LEDs in place.

"Oracle, can you focus at around that point?" He asked, pointing to where he believed was the source.

"There? Behind that thing? I guess, just hold on… It's faint, but it is a tiny bit stronger than any other reading the room. If you're going to check it out, just be careful."

"I'll go with you, the rest should stay here and keep watch," Queen ordered. "Keep an eye on Alicia as well." Panther and Rynith in response, stood closer to the girl, readying their weapons for anything to come. Once that was settled, a silent nod was shared between each other before Joker and Queen made their way towards the focal point with deliberate, measured, almost leaden steps. They made sure to avoid stepping on the wires, unsure of whether further disturbances would worsen the situation.

After what seemed like an eternity, they closed the distance and only turning the corner remained. Joker wiped his brow before turning to Queen who looked just as exhausted. Joker held up his hand to motion a three count, and in the other was his gun. Once he was sure Queen understood, getting out her revolver, he began the count down. Three, Two, One, Zero!

The two leapt past the corner, aiming their weapons at whatever lay beyond. And once they could see it-

"Who goes there!?"

"Oh, Hello?" It was the same voice, and yet the two replies couldn't have sounded any more different. Joker and Queen stood there, frozen and bewildered. Though they had kept their weapons up, it was more so due to their lack of surety over what to even do next.

A sprawled mess of wires and chains in the vague shape of a person lay limp before them, propped up only by the wall behind it. At least they thought the shape was vaguely like a person. It had so many wires and chains leading to other directions away that it ultimately was more like they hoped it was a person.

"Did you not hear me!?" The right side yelled.

"Excuse me?" The left side tried to catch their attention. It was at this point Joker had to acknowledge what he saw. Though he could see the whole face, with hair attached, the face had been split into two uneven pieces. The left side only consisted of an eye and maybe a third of the mouth. The right side held the rest of the face. Joker took note that the left was softer and gentler, while the right side was more of what he expected. Though he was sure that they'd finally found who they were looking for, Joker found himself a bit taken aback enough that he still felt compelled to ask any ways.

"Are you Precia?" He lowered his gun, only just enough to lighten the threat it presented, but still raised high enough to where it would be ready at a moment's notice. A half-measured response, but perhaps one that matched a situation that was presented by halves.

"Yes How that rude would to be ask my for name my may name I when who you I have am not speaking given with your own?" A headache came on for Joker as the two spoke in tandem, their words mixing into an incomprehensible mess. He figured that they might have been asking for who he was, and if they weren't, oh well. It wasn't as if he knew what else to do.

"As we promised, we're here to take your heart," he stated plainly without much adornment in his speaking.

"The thieves!"

"Thieves?" That time he could tell who was speaking.

"Leave this place, you cretin. There is nothing here for you to take. Not anymore." Joker's brow furrowed as he took in what he'd heard. Not anymore? Yet even so, a palace had still formed, meaning something was its source. It was probably a bluff, something to throw him off.

"Sorry, but we didn't come all this way to leave empty handed," he said, raising his gun back up.

"I'm sorry young man, but I did not lie. I do not know what you would wish to steal from this place."

"I told you already, there's nothing here." He kept his gun trained on them, just unsure on how to proceed. Did they really not have a treasure? But they had a palace…

"Joker I don't think they're lying…" Queen whispered over to him. "I think they really believe that they have no treasure."

"That doesn't leave us many options." No treasure to steal, meant nothing to change her heart. Perhaps a different approach was in order. Putting his gun away, he signaled for Queen to do the same. She hesitated for a moment, but given that Joker had already holstered his, she followed suit, trusting that he was doing the right thing.

"How about a different question then. Precia, do you remember why we came to steal your treasure?"

"How am I supposed to know what scurries in the minds of thieves? I do not even remember an explanation to begin with," The abrasive one said as such, with all confidence for that matter. However, the other face… that one refused to look him in the eye.

"Then allow me to remind you." The abrasive Precia's brow furrowed, but he ignored it, given that it meant he had her attention.

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

"Hey, Joker and Queen put down their guns," Skull was the first to notice.

"Did they not find her, I can't hear them from here," Panther said, as she squinted at them.

"No, they found… something. I don't know what, but they've been talking to it for a while now," Oracle let the group know as she tried to stay tuned in to the conversation.

"Is it just me or does something feel different about the air?" Fox asked, his hand tense over his sword.

"Shhh, Inari! I can't hear them, everybody quiet." Oracle's order quieted them down as she continued to monitor where Joker and Queen were with extra scrutiny.

 **-0-0-12-0-0-**

"We're here because of the sins you've committed. Justified or not, your actions have caused harm that you need to pay for."

"What sin-"

"You mean Fate…" The kinder Precia interrupted the abrasive side. For once the two were not in sync. "You've come here because of the way I've treated her."

"Yes…" Joker said, caught off guard that she was so quickly cooperative. "Frankly speaking, your other crimes don't really concern me. I won't excuse them, but to say I care about them would be an overestimate. No, instead we're here because Fate asked us to be here." Joker saw as Precia's body seemed to shake, small at first, but then gradually larger.

"I see, so that child truly does hate me."

"The wretched tool. Even after all I've done for her."

"We didn't do anything for her!"

"We gave her life! We can do as we please with it!"

"That's no- AAAAHHHH!"

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" The two sides screamed all at once; a piercing, bloodcurdling scream of pain. Though Joker and Queen winced, his eyes remained open just enough to see it. A crack formed on a portion of the torso still attached to them. A snapping sound of glass accompanying it as it grew. First slowly, but as if a cascade, the crack grew exponentially, a high pitched screeching cutting through the air, almost straight into his head, as if the screaming wasn't enough.

It kept moving through the body, branching like prismatic roots. Branching, creeping, growing, until it suddenly stopped. Then it fell, falling like a puppet without its strings. A piece of her body fell, echoing like glass as it slapped against the floor. A wire and chain was all the attachment left between her and piece that tore itself away. Her heart was now even more exposed than before.

"ENOUGH!" The abrasive side yelled at them. The kinder Precia appeared weaker, exhausted, though the abrasive Precia looked just as tired. "Your presence is welcome here no longer!"

"Guys I don't know what you just did, but I'm getting Shadow readings from all over the place!" Oracle said over the comms. Joker looked up and around to see shadows crawling from out of the holes, amorphous masses of darkness slinking from the breaks in reality from all over the room.

"LEAVE!" Joker turned around to find Precia's body beginning to rise up, shadows were attempting to climb the chains to reach her but fell in a heap as they couldn't grab hold of the snake like shackles.

"Regroup!" Joker ordered as he and Queen ran back to the rest of the group. Once there, they formed a circle around Alicia, almost obscuring her from vision, and watched the shadows as they became surrounded by the mass of formless darkness.

"What did f'n you do!?" Skull cried as he kept his shotgun aimed at the shadows.

"I think the only thing I could do. She said that she doesn't have a treasure," Joker explained.

"That's impossible. A palace necessitates a treasure. It can't exist without one," Mona gave his retort. "She has to have a treasure, even if I can't smell it."

"If what the Honorable Sir says is right, then why putting us in danger?" Rynith began to prep some spells. "Just because she says she doesn't have one, does not make it true. We could have searched for it ourselves without alerting her."

"As Mona said, he can't smell it. If it's not here by itself, then we need to make it appear. I don't know why but I think this is probably the only way to get the Treasure to show up," Joker reasoned.

"Are you regretting that decision?" Fox asked.

"We'll just have to find out. Alicia, stay behind us." The girl nodded as they saw Precia's shadow clumsily climb herself from out of the corner she original lay. A screech of glass accompanied her every step as she moved to a place she could better see them. She lumbered in unsteady steps until finally she stopped, and her head drooped into place. A manic, empty, but familiar face now stared at them, no longer obscured in static.

"Leave you wretched thieves!" She yelled at them, rage and fury clear in the eye of the monstrosity of glass, wires, and chains. Yet even so Joker swore he could hear more of a quiet glass cracking underneath that sundering voice. Quieter still, he heard another voice, from the side that looked weak and tired. A voice, that made Joker's will falter in its path just the tiniest bit. A voice that asked in a whisper, "Please… stop me…"

Forty-one minutes remaining.

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

Well I suppose deciding to platinum Sekiro then Demon's Souls (fuck pure bladestone), then do everything in Bloodstained, 100% River City Girls, try to get S-Ranks in every mission in DMC5, then get Outer Worlds, was probably a bad idea for my writing pace wasn't it.

Regardless, this chapter was mostly to set up the 'boss fight'. The next chapter will be the 'fight' proper and hopefully the conclusion. After that I've got a few epilogue chapters planned, and already partially written. How do you think the 'fight' will go? I hope what I have planned will meet those expectations.

As for the Nanoha parts. For the most part I've modified some aspects of the Nanoha portions to flow a little better for a written setting (or at least attempted to) and set up a slightly different scenario down the line. For the Persona part I was stuck on for the longest time. I threw out about 10k words on prior versions of it, and I won't say this one was the best, but it was the one I felt the least bad about. I've gotten used to settling thanks to programming under some pretty strict deadlines.

As always, tell me what you think in a review. I appreciate feedback, both praise and criticisms alike so don't hold back on my account. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great rest of your day. Hopefully the next chapter comes out sooner than this one did… probably not because I'm going to be out in the Halcyon system for a bit. It's not he best choice, it's Spacer's Choice.


	13. Chapter 13: Hope of Salvation

**Disclaimer: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha belongs to Seven Arcs and all respective license holders. The Persona Series belongs to ATLUS. I only own this fic and nothing else. I also own all the mistakes too.**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Hope of Salvation**

"Help… me?" Joker whispered in echo as he watched the shamble of a shadow. He threw the thought away though, as both she and the lesser shadows began to close in on them. As she approached, she seemed to have increased in size, a fact that became more apparent as she grew closer, as well as when he realized that the lights had become obstructed. It would have been more apt to say that she now was closer in size to a giant than a person. Watching closer, he realized that Precia's shadow seemed to be struggling to move thanks to the shadows closer to her trying to cling on to her.

"Out of my way!" She yelled, as she tried to fling them off like bugs, only to fail time and time again. He didn't know what was happening, but he didn't have the time to think on it now.

"Mona, Panther, Yusuke, you're with me. The rest of you hold off the shadows and keep Alicia safe. Rynith, what are you going to do?" Joker asked the familiar as the thieves who weren't going with him began to take defensive measures.

"I'll go with you. If it fights anything like the real thing, then my knowledge will be of some use." Joker nodded back in agreement. Any advantage they could muster would be useful.

"Um… what about me?" Alicia asked as she clung to Queen's side. "What should I do?"

"Oracle, is there room enough in Prometheus for two?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I-I think," Oracle answered. "Just give me a second then." Prometheus then appeared above them, its creepy trollish rainbow smile still as pleasant as he remembered it being.

"Alicia, stay with Oracle inside Prometheus. It'll be safe in there. Something tells me that if anything were to happen to you, the last of what's left of your Mom… well that won't happen as long as you're safe, okay?" Joker told her, while trying to remain positive, though given what they'd just seen, it was easier said than done.

"Please, save mom?" She asked as she held on to Oracle as they were taken into the orbital Persona.

"… It's what I promised." He watched as the two then disappeared inside and then rose as high as it could, given the ceiling above them. Once he saw them stop in the air, he returned his attention to the rest. "Right then. Noir, can you clear a path for us? Oracle pinpoint the best spots for her to fire her grenades at." Joker ordered

"No problem! Noir fire about ten degrees to your left!" Oracle commanded over the comms.

"Roger!" Noir replied, not at all intimidated by the sight, as she took aim. "Kaboom!" She yelled in time to the explosion, scattering the shadows that hadn't been turned to dust.

"Now fifteen degrees right! Now maybe 7 degrees back left!" As they continued to clear more and more shadows, the ones that had been initially blasted away were beginning to stir.

"The shadows are beginning to regroup! Go Now!" Joker ran in, followed by Mona, Panther, Yusuke and Rynith. "Stay safe everyone!" He told them before diving right in. As he rushed towards Precia, he could see a few shadows trying to approach them.

Getting out his knife, he deftly jumped on top of the shadow, slamming the blade into its head before jumping away and, without even taking the time to see it die, continued on. He then did the same to other shadows that got to close. Yusuke slashed at shadows that leapt at them, Panther used her submachinegun to keep other shadows at bay, and Mona opted to instead evade them as Rynith used spells to drive them away.

"Oracle, Noir! I need a couple more!" Joker yelled as they began to approach a part of the horde that hadn't been cleared yet. Not even a second after he made the command, a couple explosions rocked the ground where they needed it most, and a path to Precia finally cleared. "Go!" The five of them rushed into the opening as the shadows then closed off their escape route as soon as they ran past. Without a moment to rest, they turned their attention towards the lumbering mass of wires, chains, and glass. A few shadows clawed at her legs, but most seemed repelled, trying to get closer only to be blocked by something invisible.

"Over here!" Joker called out. The Shadow stopped in its tracks and turned to face them, her body twisting in a deliberate manner as her loose form rankled into place.

"I thought I told you to leave!" She yelled.

"Sorry, but we've still got some unfinished business to take care of. We're not leaving until we have what we came for!"

"What nonsense. If that's _please_ the case, then I suppose _stop_ I should make it _me_ so that you cannot leave at all!"

With her attention set squarely on them, Joker began to issue his orders. "Fox, Masukukaja! Mona, Masukunda! Panther prep a Concentrate and wait for an opportunity to set her ablaze! Rynith, provide support while I act as a distraction."

"Got it!"

"Roger!"

"Be careful!" He hadn't the time to parse who said what as he rushed towards the towering shadow with knife at the ready. As he closed in, he could see a green light envelop him while simultaneously a green sphere of energy descended upon Precia. As the light faded, he felt himself become faster, and Precia's movements become more sluggish. The Shadow swung its arm at him, kicking up dust and debris as it ran across the floor. With his invigorated agility, Joker clear of the attack. As it passed under him, he twisted so as to land onto the arm feet first.

Without delay, he ran up the appendage, his footing looser than he would have liked, even with his enhanced agility. Even so, he deftly ran up the arm made of wires and glass as Precia sluggishly tried to respond. He leapt over a second strike made by Precia's other arm, landing atop one of her shoulders.

"Your mine!" He slashed at Precia with his knife and Arsene with his claws. A screeching sound emanated from his strike, and he felt like he was striking at stubborn glass rather than flesh. Even so he completed his attack and Precia's shadow roared in pain, flailing too much for Joker to stand on. Instead of trying to cling on, Joker took the initiative to leap away. As he did so, he took out his gun and began to fire at Precia as he tumbled towards the ground, each causing her to shudder as they made their mark.

"Hiyah!" Joker saw a blast of yellow magic fly past him and towards Precia as he landed. An explosion erupted at the point of impact, obscuring Precia's upper half in smoke. However, like from his own strike, he heard glass rather than flesh fall onto the ground.

In the next moment, he saw little pieces of Precia falling onto the ground, just like what had happened when he saw her in the corner. Clinking and clanking, they made their way down without ceremony or pattern. A wire and chain were attached to every piece no matter how small, and each wire and chain was strung upwards, into the cloud of dust that had yet to disperse.

His mask flashed blue, as he tried to understand just what was happening. Something didn't feel right, not his strike nor Rynith's. A niggling feeling in the back of his mind made him wary. Despite the strong blast, Precia's Shadow had managed to withstand it, though her attention now being pulled towards the spell's perpetrator.

"You! Rynith! You're siding with them?" Precia had finally noticed that among their numbers was someone she recognized. Her rage burned brighter on her face as she closed in on the so called 'traitor'.

"Your perception seems to have waned since we've last met master. I've been with them this whole time. It is your fault for not noticing sooner."

"How!? Why!? A familiar is not supposed to betray their master, and yet you appear before me once more, and siding with these vermin!" Joker watched the two carefully. He trusted Rynith enough to at least be able to handle her own, but in case something went wrong, he had to be ready to jump in at a moment's notice.

"Indeed master, I wonder if you will perhaps intuit the answers on your own. If need be however, I can offer my assistance in this matter should you desire such."

"Joker, I'm ready!" He heard Panther from behind, knocking him back to reality.

"Rynith, get some distance! Yoshitsune, Heat Riser!" Joker sent the spell Panther's way as he then fell back to regroup. At the same time, Rynith jumped away from the approaching enemy to make clear of the area, dodging a swipe that Precia's Shadow made as Rynith lept away.

"Hecate! Blazing Hell!" Pillars of flame rose from the ground, blowing away any smoke that remained. He could hear Precia scream from behind the blinding inferno.

"Oracle, what's the read on her vitality?" He asked as he shielded his eyes from the blaze.

"I'm… I'm not getting any change! None of that did anything from what I can tell!" Nothing? All of that did nothing? But he clearly saw the glass that fell from Precia's body. Even now he could hear that same glass popping under the intense heat of Panther's magic. What the hell was going on? How was it that she wasn't hurt according to Oracle's measurements?

"Is mommy ok?" He suddenly heard in the comms. He'd almost forgotten Alicia was with Oracle.

"I don't know…" Was all Joker could sullenly answer with as the flames finally began to die down. Once the last of the fire had finally burnt away, curled in a fetal position in the middle, uncharred, was Precia's shadow. Just like before, more pieces of her fell to the ground, crumbling and cracking in ever increasing amounts as she made to stand back up. Seeing this, Joker was sure damage was being done of some sort, but Oracle's readings weren't changing.

"Was that _run_ all you had?" Precia asked, dark purple orbs of lightning forming in orbit around her.

"Watch out!" Joker and the other thieves dove away at Rynith's warning as the orbs were then flung at odd trajectories towards them. Panther managed to sidestep the orb that went for her, while Rynith blocked with a magic shield the orb that found its way towards her and Mona. Joker jumped over the orb that flew towards him. Fox instead opted to run past the one aimed at him.

"Inari what are you-"

"Brave Blade!" Behind him Susano-o appeared and the two struck at Precia, their attacks trying to slice through the wires and chains that kept Precia together. His blade went right through, a fog of darkness following the line of the cut. However, his apparent success was met with only skepticism from his furrowed brow. "Nothing?" Apparently not even an iota of resistance was met by Fox's attack. He leapt away once he noticed the shadow's arm swing towards him. He continued to back up until he had regrouped with the rest. Because of the missed swing, Precia lost her balance, tumbling to the floor.

"It would appear that striking at the connective wires yields nothing. They don't even seem to really exist, a figment of imagination," Fox reported to them.

"Well at least we know that won't work. Any other ideas? My flames seemed to have only made her angrier…" Panther said as she nervously eyed her weapons. "And Joker's attacks at the non-wired parts haven't done much better."

"Is something the matter Sir Mona?" Rynith asked, noticing how the cat's demeanor changed.

"There's two things that bother me. First is that there is one place we haven't tried attacking yet." Joker was the first to catch on to what Mona was referring to.

"You mean her exposed heart?"

"Yeah, she's been protecting that as best she can whenever something would hit it, though not that we've tried to focus it down. Perhaps that is how we can defeat her."

"And what else was bothering you?" Joker probed further, his eyes now starting to keep track of Precia who was now halfway to getting back up.

"Well, it's just that… unlike shadows we've dealt with in the past, she hasn't fused with any of the shadows in her Palace. Her shadows don't even transform into any concrete form, just maintaining a formless state. The shadows have tried to fuse with her but fail to grab on to anything, and just fall off."

"You're right. People's shadows aren't supposed to transform into those huge monster things until after they fuse with the shadows of the palace. But she's looked like this since we found her," Panther said to the group. "So, what's made her look like this?"

"Were these shadows you saw in the past for people of sane mind?" Rynith asked the group.

"Is it perhaps specifically because of her deteriorated mental state that she is like this?" Fox realized from Rynith's implicative question. "Even so, that still leaves us with no recourse to subdue her aside from possibly her heart. But if she has not fused with the palace shadows, then will striking her heart… how may that be different from attacking a normal person's shadow?"

"Oracle can you see anything from up there?" Panther asked the navigator.

"No, I'm not detecting anything else from up here. I mean aside from parts of her that are still scattered about, I can't find anything in there that you could focus on."

"Is there really no other option?"

"No! You can't! You promised to save her!" They heard Alicia scream. "Mommy's hurting enough already! Isn't there some other way to help her? To make her better?"

"That woman is already broken, you can see it for yourself," Rynith was the one to answer. "Perhaps it was indeed a foolish desire to try and save her. Her mind is literally shattered. Perhaps we best end her before she piles up even more regrets."

"No! Ren say something! Please! You Promised!"

"Joker, we don't have any other options. At least none in the time we have left," Rynith told him. "Let's help Precia in the best way we can." Despite how cold she sounded, Joker noticed her voice trail at the end. Even she didn't want this.

He tried to focus. There had to be something he was missing. A trick he wasn't seeing. Something, anything. He looked back at the shambling mess that was Precia's shadow. It still struggled to stand back up, her appendages shaking and unsteady. She'd already looked defeated and broken.

"Y-You promised to save mommy. You said you could help her." He could hear Alicia breaking down, sniffles and crying came clear into his ears. Even though he couldn't see her, it weighed heavy on his heart all the same.

Was this it? Was he really going to have to break his promise to them? Just like that? Was he just going to have to double down and let both Alicia and Fate down? There had to be another way. But what way? How? How do you defeat someone who was already broken; already defeated, without just finishing the job?

What can you do to someone who was already hurt?

"Ren, please! Isn't there another way to help her?"

A roar emanated away from them, returning their attention to the cause of this whole mess. Precia's shadow had finally righted itself and was beginning to cast another spell.

"I've had enough of _stop_ you, all of you! I'll make sure there's not even an atom _me_ of you left!"

"That… everyone, we have to strike now, or else we're all going to be ground to dust!" Rynith warned them, clearly familiar with whatever spell Precia's shadow was attempting to unleash. "We must strike her heart now! It's now or never!"

"This… this can't be… Ren…" Alicia's sobs were being drowned out as magic gathered at Precia's location. "Why?"

What do you do for something that's broken? Something in Joker's head clicked into place. Looking down, his eyes scampered about until he saw what he was looking for, and without another word, he bolted right towards it.

"Joker!"

"What are you doing!?" The voices blurred as he focused on grabbing the thing that lay on the floor. Once he'd arrived, without missing a beat, he carried it with him as he then turned to run towards Precia. He could feel the energy becoming denser and denser as he approached. It became harder to breathe with every step, but he pushed forward. He ran until he was right in front of Precia, right where he had to be.

"You Insolent-" He ignored Precia's ramblings as his mask flashed blue and he forced into place what he was carrying onto Precia's body. It was his last chance, the last trick up his sleeve. He prayed that it would work as he casted his spell.

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

The atmosphere was suffocating as Fate, Arf, Chrono, and Precia eyed each other for even the subtlest of movements. None dared to move, for fear of making a mistake. Yet they each were anxious to take the initiative. Crumbling and destruction could be heard in the distance, yet they did not budge. Even as their footings shook ever so slightly their stances did not loosen. Finally though, someone made the first move, except it was not one they had expected.

Precia's staff was the first to drop, followed by the woman herself. Her hands clung to her skull as a wretched cry of pain clawed its way out of the woman's already thin and weakened throat. She felt a pain from deep within her mind, cloying, and breaking, her further.

"Mother!" Fate cried, as she flew towards the woman, disengaging Bardiche on the approach.

"Fate! It could be a trap!" Arf warned her as Fate closed in on the woman who. Fate ignored her familiar and continued towards her mother. Worry was all once could see on the girl's face.

Chrono maintained his distance, deciding to watch the proceedings from afar, in relative safety. If anything were to happen, he could react accordingly. He tried to be ready for whatever scheme this woman had prepared. However, he grew curious once he saw Fate able to place a hand on her mother's back, and the woman did not a single thing to stop her. Her pain was genuine. Was this the result of the seeds, or was it perhaps something else?

The woman continued to cry out as the pain wracked her mind, as if she was on fire, as if she was being torn apart. She felt herself breaking down, with pain to measure each step of the process. Tears ran down her widened, manic eyes as the pain became too much to bear.

"Chrono, can't you heal her?" Fate asked the boy as she tried to comfort the pained woman.

"Wait she's really in pain?" Arf asked as she finally made it over to Fate's side.

"I… I don't know. I can heal physical exhaustion and battle wounds, but I don't think my spells would be of any use in this case," The officer answered honestly, now just baffled by what he was seeing.

"Mother…" Fate said, as she could only watch Precia writhe in pain.

But just as suddenly as the pain arrived. Precia felt something else. As the pain receded, and stopped, a different feeling began to take its place. It was a warm feeling, a kind one.

Time Remaining: Suspended. Warning, Seed Energy Remains Critical.

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

"Diarahan!" Pixie appeared at Joker's side and focused the healing spell on the thing Joker held in place upon Precia's body. As the spell ran its course, he could see the lines disappearing, and the item returning to what it once was supposed to be, where it was supposed to be: her torso. His eyes lit up as he watched Precia's shadow repair that broken part of itself, reuniting it as one.

"Gaah!" Unfortunately, he didn't notice the rest of the body swing itself at him, knocking him away. Precia's Shadow fell back to the ground after her strike. Alongside the momentum of her swing, she also felt at a loss because of the foreign feeling that was beginning to emanate from within her. It was not unpleasant, but she couldn't name it.

"Joker," Mona cried as he and the others ran over to where the Phantom Thief had landed with a skid. It took a couple of seconds, but Joker was able to get up without assistance, though with a couple of groans instead.

"I'm fine. Just a little wind taken out of my sail, that's all."

"Hold on, just to be safe, let's get you healed up. Diarahan!" Panther held him down and cast her own healing spell on him. Once she was sure it went through, she proceeded to ask, "So, what was that? That light? That sound? What did you do?"

"That, I think, is how we're going to save Precia," Joker answered her.

"You shouted Diarahan. If I'm correct that is the also the spell Panther just used on you. A healing spell from the looks of it," Rynith noted.

"And that's not all. You also picked up her torso and placed it on her body before healing her. It's as if it was never broken to begin with." Fox focused on the newly reattached portion of Precia's Shadow. Even focusing with all his might, he couldn't find a single aberration. "it's perfectly attached."

"Just what made you think of doing something like that?" Mona asked Joker, the man's confidence having returned.

"She's already defeated and broken. That's what's made her like this in the first place. You can't knock someone down a peg if they're already at their lowest point. Just hammering away at her shadow at this point wouldn't do anything more than what's already been done. So why not try something else, a different approach?" Joker stood back up, looking at Precia's Shadow once more. She groped at the part of her body that had returned to her; prodding, unsure.

"Why not try to pick up the pieces, and fix what's broken? I think that's what we should do. We should be trying to heal her." Joker was finally able to say. "What do you think?"

"Well your conjecture has certainly yielded success," Fox noted. "However, it would appear the process isn't anywhere near finished. Has everyone heard Joker's explanation?"

"Loud and clear!" Skull replied.

"Yes, anything is better than taking a parent from a child," Noir answered back. "At least when things can be made better."

"Everyone, start looking for and gathering Precia's pieces," Queen Ordered. "If you can't use a healing spell, bring them to someone who can. Oracle, keep an out for any pieces that are hidden or ones that we miss."

"Roger that! Time for a scavenging quest, on the double!"

"Alicia, can you hear me?" Joker asked as everyone scrambled to find Precia's broken pieces.

"… Yes, I can Ren," She replied, her voice hoarse, yet mousey and quiet.

"We can save her. Your mother's going to be okay," He said, finally able to do so without a shred of deceit or hesitation.

"Thank you… Thank you so much…" He could hear her crying once more, but this time he was sure that they were tears of joy.

"You can thank me when we're done," he replied as he picked up a piece of Precia at his foot. "You better be smiling at the end of all this." He broke into a sprint to Precia, where he saw Panther, then Mona, then Queen repairing the broken parts of her, making her whole again. A shadow leapt at him, which he dispatched with a well-placed bullet to its face as he continued towards Precia. Seeing how the chain connected he placed the other half of torso he held into position.

"Diarahan!" Then he leapt back, his eye in search for more, but not before he realized that Precia's heart was no longer exposed. It was completely safe again. "For now, Alicia, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!"

"I will!"

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

The thieves rushed the room, grabbing and passing any pieces of Precia they could find. It was a slow process. However, it was a steady one. It had already been quite a bit of time since they started, already they were more than halfway done, and falling into a rhythm.

"Skull, over here!"

"Catch!" The leather jacket clad youth threw the shard over a horde of shadows, the piece catching the light as it made its way over to Queen.

"Got it!"

"Nice catch, Queen! The shadows are thinnest to the left!" Oracle informed her as she kept an eye on the battlefield. The others doing much the same as those two.

"Anat! Mafriedyne!" Queen called her Persona, the flash of bluish white light evaporating what didn't scatter. Before her magic even had a chance to fully fade away, she was already making her way through the horde, squashing more on her way over to her destination. It was not long until she'd reached the center of the room.

Precia's Shadow was being kept at bay by Joker and Rynith. The Familiar's spells pelted the shadow in mixed intervals, just enough to distract, but not enough to be called a barrage in any sense. Joker took the time to strike whenever Precia's attention began to lapse or be taken by the others. This time he jumped onto her and used her like a vault to get to the other side of her. As he did so, Queen snuck from behind.

"Mediarahan!" He heard his cohort cry just before Precia's Shadow went limp once more, from the sudden sensation. Queen then retreated without missing a beat, disappearing in to the hoard of shadows around them.

"What are you doing to me!?" The Precia's shadow asked. "What's happening to me?"

"Master, you should quiet down. It's making the healing process more difficult."

"Rynith! Why are you helping these _Keep_ children? A familiar is not _going_ supposed act against its master!" Precia's shadow began as she slowly returned to her feet. Rynith, standing nearby, walked up with a confident gait towards her master.

"You are correct, as always. A familiar is always to act in the best interest of their master. To a familiar, a master is the most important existence in the world." Her answer, though sincere, was tinged ever so slightly in mild snide, yet somehow kind, irreverence. "As such I deem this as the best way to help you master." A blast of magical energy erupted from a circle she conjured from behind herself. It struck Precia's shadow only with enough force to knock her down to keep the shadow from breaking any further.

"Do you remember my final wish to you my master? The one I made before I departed from your service in life?" Rynith asked, though Precia's shadow could only glare daggers at her. Rynith was sure that had she actual daggers, they'd be used to the same degree. Regardless she pressed on. "For my service, I asked only that you would have a meal with Fate, together at the table."

"What does your request have to do with your betraAAA-!"

"Diarahan!" Noir cast, this time on Precia's leg before she was also made to escape.

"I had hoped," Rynith continued, "that by having a meal with her, you could begin to see her as more than just a puppet for your designs. That perhaps by having the chance to talk with her, you could see just what sort of precious thing that you held in your hands. It is unfortunate that my true desire went unfulfilled. I suppose though, at very least as consolation, Fate was finally able to eat dinner with her mother."

"Do not call me _she_ that doll's _deserved_ Mother! She's not _better_ my daughter!"

"Yes, thank you for demonstrating my failure in its entirety. That being said, I am also thankful that a new opportunity has arisen in its place. I will not fail this time. I shall be taking the direct approach now that the subtle one has gone unnoticed." As she continued to speak, the other thieves continued their repair of Precia's shadow. Rynith, who kept constant watch on her, began to notice the size of the shadow decrease. The chains on the ground rustled ever closer to their source. Was this perhaps a sign that she was returning to normal?

"Thank you for this chance," she whispered to herself.

"I can smell it." Rynith whipped her head around to where she heard that noble voice from. Mona stood nearby, entranced. "The Treasure, I can smell it!"

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

"There!" Nanoha yelled once she saw the group in view. However, the situation wasn't what she had expected. She had thought that they would have been in the heat of battle, but instead she'd found them huddled together. Landing nearby, she ran towards them. "What's going on?"

"Nanoha-chan, you're here," Arf was the first to acknowledge her arrival. "We don't know. One moment we were getting ready to fight, then the next…" Arf simply gestured towards the center. Nanoha's gaze shifted to find that laying in Fate's arms was Precia, unconscious, tossing and turning, almost as if she was having a sort of nightmare.

"Nanoha, did you run into Joker and the others on the way in?" Chrono asked.

"No, I haven't seen them at all," She answered as her attention was still on Precia.

"Then are they still in that dimensional warp? Wait, is this what they meant by peaceful surrender?" Chrono became quieter as he continued to speak until it was but a whisper, and then nothing but silence. He seemed occupied with his thoughts. "Amy, any news on our AWOL thieves on your end?" He called on comms.

"I still can't find them, and their signatures haven't returned either," she reported from the bridge of the Arthra. As he continued to speak with Amy, Nanoha approached Fate and Precia.

"How is she?" Nanoha asked.

"She… she looks like she's getting better. Her complexion started off as pale when she first went unconscious, and her flailing was a lot more violent. Now though," Fate didn't need to finish as it was immediately evident. Precia's face had reddened, and though she still was moving, it was a gentle disturbance.

"Should we move her?"

"I'm not sure, but I want to see if she gets better first," Fate answered, as she continued to look after her mother.

"Alright, let's wait together then," Nanoha said as she knelt down next to Fate. Somehow, despite the chaos from just before, things seemed peaceful, as they both waited for what was to come.

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

"Diarahan! Guys… I'm… basically out…" Panther forced out between haggard breaths.

Precia's Shadow lay there on the ground, her size having shrunk to one closer to the real person. The shadow had begun to lose any ability to resist as they reattached more and more pieces, until finally, with most of her body repaired, she laid inert; Conscious, but exhausted.

"Fall back Panther," Oracle ordered. "Focus on resting. Fox, mind helping her out?"

"On it! Panther?" Fox appeared next to the worn-out thief, offering his shoulder.

"Thanks," She leaned on his shoulder as he whisked the both of them away to where the rest of the thieves had gathered. As the battle went on, and more pieces were reattached, the group slowly shifted their focus to keeping the shadows at bay. What once was a massive tide of black, had then become a shallow pool, then scattered puddles, and finally nothing but dregs remained.

"Guys, the shadows are thinning even more!" Oracle informed the group.

"Given that I can actually see the damn floor again, I'm pretty sure that I could have made that judgement on my own," Skull snarked back. "Ow! Hey, aren't you supposed to resting?"

"I can still flail my arm," Panther said with a raised, though limp, arm. "Ignore him Oracle. Why are they receding?"

"I think they're no longer being called here. Heck look up at the walls, they look… normal." Joker and the others looked up to find that the warped, broken walls, and strange imagery had disappeared. In their place was what looked to simply be an advanced alien laboratory. Where once the shadows could flow en-masse, there no longer was any place for them to flood the room. What shadows remained now were either getting wiped out by their group or slinking into the floor as if drained from the room.

"Aww, so is it over? I was hoping for just a few more," Noir complained, only to catch herself. "O-Of course though, it's best for it to end sooner rather than later."

"Not quite… we never did fix that crack." As Joker put his knife away, he pointed at Precia's Shadow, specifically at her face. That was all the reminder that they needed. For all the repairs they'd done, there yet still remained one part that was broken in two: her face.

"Be done with me already, what are you waiting for?"

"Is that the last piece? I see. So, it is nearly finished." The two were finally speaking separately again. Pity began to fill Joker's heart again. Only a few moments ago, this woman was a terrifyingly large existence, and yet here she was now: small, pathetic, and whose only recourse was to wait for whatever came next. At the very least though, he was here to help her, rather than the alternative.

"I've still got enough for a couple more healing spells," Joker said. "Rynith, watch my back. Everyone else, stay put and watch out for any signs of foul play." With but a glance to confirm her agreement, he and Rynith started to walk over to her, the path calm and unobstructed now that the shadows were nearly all gone. Their steps echoed clear, the chaos from before now dormant. It would all be over soon.

"Wait!" He heard from behind him, but before he could turn around, he felt something impact his back, grabbing onto his coat tail in the process. He looked back to find a tuft of blonde hair clinging to his back, panting and trying to catch her breath. "Let me talk to her! Please!" Alicia demanded. Joker looked at Rynith who looked just as lost as to what to do. It could still be dangerous for all they knew. Perhaps a final sleight of hand that she handed up her sleeve, or maybe the shadows would return without warning. They couldn't guarantee her safety, not yet anyways.

"Sorry, she forced her way out," Oracle told them. "But I don't think it should be an issue. It's all clear now, and If something happens, I'll let you know immediately. Besides… this might be the last time she'll get to talk to her." That was right, it was possibly the last time the two could talk like this.

"If that is the case, then who am I to deny you." Rynith was first to change her mind.

"Please, I'll stick close by!" Alicia continued to plead. Joker sighed, as he felt his coat shake in her balled fists. Now wasn't the time to play bad guy.

"You don't have to be so violent. I was going to say yes anyways. Now come on, let's go see your mother." Her eyes went alight, as she gave a hearty nod in response. Rynith gave only a small smile as she followed the two to where Precia lay. Only once they had gotten close enough did the woman respond.

"Alicia…?" The two voices spoke as one. "Is that… really you Alicia?"

"Hey mom… I'm here," Alicia's reply was mousey and small. Even so it was enough to leave the Shadow of her mother visibly shaken.

"How… How long have you been here?" She asked, realizing that her daughter's presence was of no surprise to the others. "How long have you known?" She directed towards Joker.

"She's been here this whole time," He answered. "She's the one who asked me to come here in the first place." Precia's gaze scrutinized his every move, trying to discern whether he lied or not. He tried to find the slightest twitch, the smallest tell, waiting for even the tiniest break in his façade. However, when she looked at her daughter stand close to him in assurance, in agreement, it dawned on her bit by bit that what he spoke was the truth. Her eyes widened, almost threatening to pop out of her split skull, and her lips twisted into an indiscernible shape: half smile, half frown.

"This whole time… R-really? This whole time? This whol- ha… haha… hahahaha…haha… ha… Waaaaaaaaaaaah!" What started as laughter turned to sobs. "You were here. This whole time… All this time you were right here. And yet why couldn't I find you? Why didn't you let mother know you were here?" It was not a demand, not scolding, not reprimand. It was begging. The woman tried to swallow her sobs between her words, but in the end, she still begged her daughter for answers.

"I tried. Every day I tried," Alicia told her, now leaving Joker's side over to where her mother's shadow lay. He made a token gesture to reach out to her, only to hold himself back. This was not his place to interfere.

"I tried to tell you that I was here, that you don't have to be so sad, that it was okay. But it was like you didn't hear me. I yelled as loud as I could, as much as I could, but you didn't hear me no matter how hard I tried. Every day I just wanted to talk to you. I just wanted to see you again." Tears fell from Alicia's visage as her steps quickened with every word until she was near at full sprint. There was no holding her back any longer. "Mommy, I wanted to see you so much!"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry," Precia repeated, over and over. "I should have listened to you the first time you called for me. I should have always been there for you. You shouldn't have had to try so hard for someone like me. I'm a failure as a mother. I'm so-" Before she could apologize even more, Alicia had run up and embraced her. In her daughter's arms, her words became lodged in her throat.

"It's okay now Mommy. It's okay. You're listening now, and that's what matters. I still love you." Forgiveness? Now? But that shouldn't have been possible.

"Why? Why are you doing this? How can you still say it's okay? How can you still say you love me?" As she spoke, cracks began to form on her body once more.

Joker's eyes widened in surprise. Of course, they may have healed the damage, but that didn't mean they had stopped the source. They treated the symptoms but not the cause. Something inside Precia still threatened to break her again. He rushed over, causing surprise for both Mother and Daughter as he placed a hand on where the crack began to form.

"Diarahan!" The crack receded as the spell did its work, but he felt his already strained reserves screaming at him as more of it drained away. Dammit! He didn't have a cheaper healing spell on hand.

"Why do you insist on healing me?" She asked him. "This damage to myself is simply what I deserve. It is my punishment for letting Alicia die; punishment for my sins."

"Is that all? And what of Fate?" Rynith asked, finally catching up to them. "What of your actions regarding her?"

"…That as well."

"I have nothing to saAAAAAAAAA-" As the two spoke separately once more, another crack began to form, causing the woman to stop in pain.

"Mommy!"

"Diarahan! Rynith, what did you do that for?" Joker asked as he healed the crack that was beginning to form.

"Satiating my curiosity," She answered, carefully watching Precia and Alicia. "I understand now, the cause of her pain and suffering. While we have resolved one part of it, another yet remains. Alicia?"

"Huh?" Alicia looked up in confusion by the sudden calling of her name.

"Wasn't there something you always wanted from your mother?"

"…Yes, there was," Alicia spoke, having understood what Rynith was implying. Turning back to her mother, she squeezed her mother's hand to get her attention, and hopefully ease some of the pain. "Mommy, do you remember what I asked you for when I was still around?" Precia took a moment to catch her breath from the pain from just before. As her breath returned to her, she answered as best she could.

"No, I'm sorry but I do not remember. Though I doubt I'd be able to give it to you now, given the state I am in," Precia spoke remorsefully.

"No, that's okay. There's not much more to do, because you've already given it to me." Alicia tried to give Precia as reassuring a smile as she could give, but that had only left Precia confused. How was it possible for Alicia's wish to have already come true?

"But… how? What was it that did?"

"I told you before didn't I? I've always wanted a little sister." It came flooding back to Precia as soon as she was reminded by Alicia just what the girl's wish was. That's right, Alicia always begged Precia for a little sister. However, being a single parent in a demanding career left little if any time or opportunity to fulfill such a request, with even the logistics of fulfilling it being its own issue. But even so, it was Alicia's one wish more than any other. How could she have forgotten her daughter's dearest wish? Yet she said it was fulfilled?

"I'm so happy that Fate is my little sister."

"Oh," was all Precia could say. "I suppose that's right. She is your little sister." The joy on Alicia's face as she mentioned Fate placed Precia's feelings in turmoil. Happiness at Alicia's joy, but also there was guilt over how she treated Alicia's most desired wish.

"I saw when Fate was born. I was so happy to finally have a little sister. Even though you told me it wouldn't be easy to have one, you were finally able to give me a little sister! But… you weren't very nice to her… I heard that you wanted to die. Is… is that true Mommy?" Precia opened her mouth to speak, but nothing come out. Then she tried again, only for nothing to come out again. A third, time, but the same result. Finally, she took in a big a breath as she could.

"Not exactly. I… I just wanted to be with you again Alicia. Nothing else mattered, not even my own life. If I died in the process, then that is what I deserved. Your mommy's done a lot of bad things since you went away. She's done a lot of things that can't be taken back."

"But that just means you shouldn't die! Didn't you always tell me that you must face your punishments whenever you do something bad! Dying isn't the proper punishment! It isn't going to make things right, no matter how much you think it will! I don't want you to die. If you do, who's going to take care of my little sister?"

"Alicia…"

"I know you can be a good mother. You were the best Mommy in the world! You haven't shown Fate just how awesome a mom you can be, like I know you can be! I won't allow you to die until Fate's seen that," Alicia cried into her mother's bosom. "So please, don't die…"

"What kind of a mother, makes their kid cry like that?" Joker said in a jovial manner.

"My master certainly can be incompetent when it comes to domestic affairs," Rynith followed up.

"What is it that the two of you wish to say?" Precia asked, annoyance in her voice as she held on to Alicia. Even so, it was a damn sight better than the tone she was using earlier.

"Master, it is still not too late you know. Fate still loves you. You can make things right. It will not be easy. However, it is still possible. You can still have a wonderful relationship with your second daughter, Fate; a relationship just as beautiful. But to do all that, you must live."

"I still do not understand how either of you can believe that. I've failed once before. These hands have put scars on that little girl. What makes you say I won't do so again?" Her hands shook, as she began to feel guilt spread throughout her body for the first time in ages. Joker didn't necessarily pity such a thing, but he at least was able to understand.

The past still happened, no matter how she approached the future. She could see clearly now. She was a monster. No person deserved to call themselves a mother after all she'd done. She'd gladly let the TSAB take her for less than the Jewel Seed incident, if only to take her away from Fate so that she wouldn't do it again. In her heart, she now wanted what was best for Fate, but what was best for Fate she believed was…

"I don't deserve to be Fate's mother. That girl deserves better than scum like me. The best thing I can do for her, is to get out of her life forever, and allow her to be free of me." As she said so, cracks began to form again, only this time instead of healing her, Joker flicked her on the forehead.

In doing so, everyone's attention turned to the boy. Precia's eyes wide in response to the young man's strange action.

"Even if you can't believe in yourself, can't you at least believe in them? Alicia, and Rynith believe in you. They don't just want you to become the mother Fate deserves, they genuinely believe you can become the mother Fate deserves. Do you want to let them down too, as well as Fate?" The boy's voice resonated in her mind. She was doing it again, she was letting her fatalistic tendencies run rampant… But was that truly the answer.

"How can you be so sure? How can any of you be so sure that that is the right thing?"

"I just believe in those two. And those two know you, probably better than you know yourself. Even if someone else were to take reigns of looking after Fate, I don't think she'd ever be able to forget you. You're something irreplaceable for that girl. And besides even if you think aren't the person Alicia and Rynith say you are, what's wrong with becoming that person down the line? Let us help you, and you'll have all the time in the world," Joker held out his open hand towards her.

"Let him heal you mommy, just one more time!" Alicia said as she placed a hand on one half of her face.

"You take too long to make a decision master. Here let me help you." And Rynith took the other half as she and Alicia pushed them together. As the two halves slid into place, tears streamed down Precia's cheeks. She couldn't believe it, after all this time, a second chance? She didn't deserve it. She'll never truly believe she deserved it for the rest of her days, but she had to take it. If not for her, then for those that loved her.

"Please…" She didn't need to say anymore. He'd already moved his hand into place, and his mask flashed blue. With the last of his strength he cast one final spell to end it all.

"Salvation!"

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

"What's going on?" Nanoha asked as the entire facility began to shake, and sirens blared as the rooms were flooded by the crimson emergency lights.

"The Jewel Seeds have gone critical. Precia lost control of them earlier, and they've just continued to gather energy!" Lindy informed them over the comms. "You have to evacuate now!"

"What do we do with the criminal?" Chrono asked.

"If you can, take her with you, but if she slows you down too much, you'll have to leave her behind," Lindy ordered. Truthfully, she wanted to leave Precia behind, due to how exhausted she saw everyone was. However, more time would be wasted trying to force them to leave, and so left the decision to them.

"Arf, can you carry mother?" Fate asked, as she tried to foist her mother towards her familiar.

"Sure, ju-"

"That… will not be necessary…" Without warning, Precia stood up, breaking from Fate's grasp, and causing the rest to take defensive stances. However, as Nanoha watched on, she noticed something was different about her. The look in the woman's eye no longer held contempt or hatred. They instead looked at peace.

"Precia, I repeat, you are under arrest. You will come with u-" Precia ignored the officer and instead took the time to gaze at Fate, who in turn returned it with one of confusion. Fate flinched as she saw her mother approach with the full breadth of her body. Her eyes clenched shut as she prepared to bear the full brunt of-

"Huh?" She heard gasps as her eyes snapped open. It took a moment to for her to realize that rather than pain, what her body received was warmth. Her mother currently held her in a loving embrace. Her vision began to cloud, but she didn't know why.

"Fate, I'm sorry." She heard her mother say to her in a hushed whisper. "I'm sorry for all the pain I've put you through."

"M-Mother?" Fate said, still stunned as her arms tepidly moved to embrace her mother back. "Mother?" As she felt something wet streak down her cheek, she realized why it was so hard to see now. "Mother!"

"I'm so sorry…" Precia repeated, matching tears running down her own cheeks as the two continued to embrace one another. "As much as I wish to continue, I must attend to my mistakes." Precia carefully pried herself from her daughter's grip. Calling her staff to her hand, she began to form magic circles.

"I will contain the Jewel Seeds for as long as I can. I won't be able to hold them long, but it should be enough time for the rest of you to escape."

"Is this another ploy?" Chrono said, his staff pointed at her.

"Chrono-kun!" Nanoha cried, but before she could try to placate him, Precia spoke up.

"I understand your apprehension. Should the circumstances have allowed it, I would have gladly given myself up. However, such a luxury is not possible. I stand the best chance to contain the seeds due in part to my ranking, and my familiarity with their energy. Take my daughter and the others to safety. Arf, drag Fate away if you have to."

"You… You don't get to order me around. I would have done so even without you saying anything," The wolf familiar growled at her.

"I suppose I do not. A wonderful familiar such as yourself needs no prompting to protect your master. Now go!"

"Nanoha!" She heard Yuuno call her name over the comms. "We should take up her offer. The Jewel seeds can blow at any moment. You have to leave now!"

"But… Precia, and Fate!"

"I'm staying with Mother, Nanoha. You go. I don't want you to get caught up in this," Fate said as she got up and tried to walk over to where her mother was.

"Fate, listen to your mother and go! For once this is truly for your own good. I do not wish to leave you, but if forced to choose between the death of my daughter, or myself, then that is not a difficult choice in the slightest. Arf!" She commanded the Familiar once more. Arf grit her teeth but made no attempt to argue. Even she agreed with that woman, of all things to happen today.

"Dammit! I hate that I'm with her on this but… Fate come on!" The familiar, using her greater size, grabbed hold of the blonde girl.

"Arf, let me go!" Fate struggled, but thanks to her smaller stature and exhaustion it was to little avail.

"Even your Mom's saying to hightail it out of here. Your rebellious streak was great for a while, but now's not the time to indulge in it!" Fate struggled in Arf's arms as the familiar was trying, and failing, to leave. As she watched the proceedings, Nanoha didn't feel like this was the right way. Things were getting better, so why was this how things were supposed to end? She opened up her comms.

"Yuuno-kun, Lindy-san, isn't there anything else we can do?"

"I'm afraid not Nanoha-chan. There isn't a single person capable of stopping the seeds in their current state. Even as she says that she's the best to handle them, Precia at most would be able to slow them down before they explode, or worse, destroy time-space and open a portal to who knows where."

"But what if there was more than just Fate's Mother?" Nanoha asked, picking up between the lines in the commander's words. Lindy cursed to herself, wondering if she was picking such a habit from Ren. The girl was getting as sharp as he was, and fast.

"Look there's no time to argue. Ju-"

"Normally, no matter how many mages you had on hand there wouldn't be any stopping all the seeds from going critical. However, we only have a fraction of the seeds going critical at once, and we have at least 4 mages of a minimum AAA class. The chances are low, but it's possible."

"Do you mean it Yuuno-kun?" Nanoha asked the ferret boy, who interrupted the commander just then. "Fate-chan, did you hear that?" She yelled to the girl who was still struggling to break her familiar's grip. She stopped when she heard her name being called.

"There's a chance to save my mother?" She concluded based on what she heard.

"It will take you, me, and Chrono helping your mother, but it can work!" Nanoha explained as best as she could. "If we work together, we can save everyone!"

"It will just take a simultaneous sealing spell from all of you. Theoretically speaking anyway," Yuuno clarified the process in short. "I know you're all exhausted, but everyone here should be well enough for it."

"Even then the chances are quite low. Yuuno and I will walk you through the process, just follow our instructions and things should be A-Okay!"

"Amy, stop encouraging them!" Lindy yelled over the comms.

"I'm sorry commander, but Yuuno's already put the idea in their heads. Might as well try and make the best of it since they'll probably try it anyways, and we can't afford to lose such prospective talent, wouldn't you agree?" Lindy took an exasperated breath as he chains of command took such a wonderful time to perform minor mutiny. Still, it's why she had them on board. Talented people of all kinds, always wanting to do the right thing.

"Fine, I'll provide support from here! I'll focus on minimizing the seed's output using my own sealing spell. However, I won't be able to finish from here on top of the ship. It will be up to you to finish the job. Precia, do you hear me?" Lindy called the formally demented woman. "The TSAB will officially move to aid you in the sealing of the rampant Jewel Seeds."

"I normally would not ask for your help, as this is my burden to bear. However, if there is a chance where I can truly atone for my sins, I suppose I must accept your offer," Precia said, as her magical circles continued to charge.

"I hope you don't mind if I speak with you later on your curious change of heart?" Lindy asked as her own magical circle atop the Arthra began to glow brighter.

"If we survive. Though given how my daughter is with me, I cannot afford to fail. No, I will not fail!" Precia put all her concentration on forming a sealing circle on the rampant Jewel Seeds. Seeing this, Nanoha turned to Chrono and Fate.

"Yuuno-kun, Amy-chan, what should we do?"

"Start your own sealing spells, then try to synchronize them with Precia's. Precia's already performing the calculations to subdue to the seeds, so all you'll need to do is bolster her spell with all of yours."

"Just be careful, any slip up and the power of the seeds can go wild. You'll have to give it everything you got, from magic power to concentration. Anything less and well… You can't afford to give anything less!" Yuuno and Amy told them. Nanoha looked down at Raising Heart, as did Fate with Bardiche. Chrono sighed, not liking having to work with someone he was trying to apprehend, but he swallowed those feelings down as soon as they popped up. He was professional enough to not let his emotions get the better of him like this.

"Raising Heart! One more Time!"

"Bardiche! Please, just a little bit more!"

" _Sealing Mode… Set up! Sealing!_ " The two devices intoned in unison. A pair of sealing circles appeared, followed by a third. The two looked over to find Chrono maintaining his own sealing spell.

Nanoha couldn't help but smile at the boy for working together with them, but the boy just shrugged it off as he continued to maintain his spell. Each of their spells overlapped with Precia's, synchronizing them and amplifying each other. At the same time a green circle appeared above, bathing the room in its soft hue.

"My spell to limit the seed output is up. Now's your chance everyone!" Lindy yelled over the comms, but it was barely audible because of the wind and small debris that blew about the arena from the massive energy spiraling out of control in the room's center. Even as the seeds were being sealed bit by bit, the energy only grew more volatile by the second. Streaks of magical lightening shot out at random. Other parts of the foundation were simply blown away. It became hard to breath as the wind blew into Nanoha's face at terrifying speeds. Even then she stood her ground, keeping her spell up, as did Chrono and Fate.

"Ack!" A cough broke out in front of them. Precia fell to her knees, and blood was visible at her feet.

"Mother!"

"Stay where you are!" Precia ordered. Though shaking, she still managed to get back up on her feet. She stumbled just the tiniest bit, but it was not enough to put her down. "My flesh may be weak, but my spirit has yet to falter. Keep your spells up. I have a plan! Garden of Time!" What remained of the room began to glow at her calling. "Activate backup generator!" Like that, several distant magical circles formed at the walls of the room. Almost at the exact same time, Precia's body began to alight with magical energy.

"S… SS? SS mage rank?" Amy sputtered. "With… with this we might just be able to do it!"

"No slacking! Officer, give me a reading on the seed!"

"Y-yes Ma'am! Sealing is 65% complete, however the seeds are continuing to grow ever more volatile. At SS rank you should have enough reserves to push on through with the rest however!" Amy said in a hope. SS was an amazing rank, surely such a feat would be simple for her.

"No… there's not enough time. The backup generator can only boost my reserves for so long. I'll run out long before even 90%. Though perhaps I do not need to…" Precia looked over to where the other three mages were aiding her.

"Fate, do you trust me?" She yelled over the roaring winds.

"Mother? Yes, I trust you! I'll always trust you!" A wry smile arose from Fate's answer. She never deserved such innocent, beautiful trust. Still, best to make use of it if you have it. She'd just have to work hard from now on to truly deserve it.

"I need you to lessen the power of your sealing spells on my signal. Only for a moment."

"That's insane! We're already strained as is, and you want to make it harder to seal the seeds?" Chrono argued.

"Boy, I understand that it sounds insane, however believe me when I say this is the only way to stop the seeds. I've spent a lifetime studying the energy of the seeds. Manipulating that energy is the very least I'm capable of, but I'll need you three to weaken your sealing spells to do just that."

"Chrono, please," Fate pleaded.

"Let's believe in her Chrono-kun. Her eyes, they're… strong now," Nanoha said, gazing back at Precia. They were now eyes of life, of love, but also guilt. However, they were infinitely more wonderful than before.

"On the count of Five." Precia shouted without hearing their responses.

"Tch, fine! We'll do it your way. Not that we've got a choice…" Chrono muttered as he prepared to weaken his spell. Nanoha and Fate made similar preparations.

"Four… Three… Two… One… Now! Weaken your spells!" At her command the she could feel the spells from the other three begin to weaken just like she commanded. Thanking them in her heart, she immediately set to work. Calculate the energy expansion, measure the flow of magic, search for bubbles in the torrent… There! She found it! Just need to apply a minor alteration spell to adjust the flow to concentrate at that point. A little more! Just a little more! "Release!"

A column of magic silently erupted diagonally away from them and into the sky. It's bright light shining brighter than anything Nanoha had ever seen before. Moments later, a torrent of pressure crashed into her and a wall of sound assaulted her ears. Had it not been for the barrier jacket, her insides would have probably ruptured, and she would have died on the spot. A ringing sound wormed its way into her ears, and she found it difficult to keep her gaze focused. Relying on Raising Heart she kept her spell up at the level that was demanded.

"…b..a…up…"

"Huh?" She couldn't even hear her own voice. But eventually the ringing faded.

"Bri… it… ba… I said Bring it back up! Your Sealing Spell!"

"Ri-Right!" She did as Precia commanded. Though she could no longer see her spell circle thanks to the bright light, she could still feel her magic pouring into the spell. As she did so, she felt it somehow easier to seal.

"It should be fading soon… Just a bit more… and… There!" The light died down in a final crackle of energy, disappearing into the ether from whence it came. A hole now sat on the ceiling, revealing dimensional space behind it. A small price to pay in the grand scheme of things. In the middle of the room, Nanoha could see the Jewel Seeds Precia had overcharged. Each fell one by one as their energy faded away. She could hear the clink sound each made as they hit the ground until finally the last one returned to the floor. All was silent for a moment, save for the heavy breaths by all four mages. Was it over?

" _Sealing complete!"_ Raising heart was first to report. That was it? It was done?

"Jewel Seed signature has disappeared. Jewel Seeds have been successfully sealed. You did it guys!"

"Nanoha, you did it!" Amy and Yuuno told them over the comms one after the other in excited fervor.

"Mother!" Nanoha watched as Fate, and the Arf, ran over to Precia. Nanoha rushed after them as well. "Mother, are you alright?" Fate asked.

"I'm… just exhausted. It took everything I had to redirect the remaining Jewel Seed Energy like that…"

"What a crazy plan. Rather than seal the remaining energy, you just let the seeds shoot it out to lessen their energy concentration and make it easier to seal them. I was right, it was insane," Chrono said as he flew over to where the rest of them were.

"Genius and Madness are but two sides of the same coin some say," Precia retorted through heavy breaths.

"Indeed, it could be considered both. You're every bit as amazing as they say Precia Testarossa," Lindy spoke through the comms, relief and admiration in her voice.

"You as well Commander. Your spell was not only quite effective but beautiful as well. For someone with only a fraction of my experience with that kind of energy, I must say I can't help but feel somewhat undercut," Precia admitted, though it was a warm, jovial deprecation. "Fate, help me for a moment," Precia asked, placing her arms around Fate who proceeded to help her up. "Bring me over to where your older sister is."

"My what?" Fate realized how candid she was being and had expected a harsh rebuttal, however that was not the case.

"Alicia, your older sister, she's over there," Precia explained to her in patient tones. She'd never heard her mother explain things so gently before. Her mother then pointed to where Alicia's tube lay. It was scuffed and knocked over, but perhaps true to the care she had for her, it was still intact. The two hobbled over, both exhausted from the preceding events, but even so, they hobbled together, the both of them. Arf left them be, instead opting to just walk beside them, but also ready in case Precia did anything. Besides, she wasn't about to be all buddy buddy with Precia just yet anyhow.

Chrono was on the comms, apparently starting a transfer spell to get TSAB Personnel into the room. Nanoha couldn't tell. Instead the brunette looked upon the scene of mother and daughter walking together warmly, but then her gaze became frantic. Though things had concluded, she still couldn't find him. Where was he? Just where did Ren go?

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

"Whooo! That was a close one!" Ryuji said, laying back into the couch. Exclamations of relief could be heard from the others as well. Ren felt a massive weight lift off his shoulders as he saw on the television Lindy appearing Nanoha and the others. It was finally over. The danger had passed.

Soon after healing Precia the entire scenery around them had shifted and they found themselves in the living room they had been in before, only clean and homely. It was a place someone would probably actually want to live in, assuming they wanted to live in a simple two-story house with a picket fence. A very desired, and competitive market one can be assured. Once there they saw the television was broadcasting what was happening on the outside and caught only the tail end of the proceedings. Because they were no longer considered a threat in the Palace, their Phantom Thief attire had disappeared, leaving them mostly powerless.

It seems even with a Jewel Seed, the rules of the Cognitive World reigned supreme, and superseded the Jewel Seed's Cognitive field. Without those powers, leaving in a timely manner to help was not possible. At least lucky for them, things turned out alright.

"How beautiful, that is how a Mother and Child relationship should be," Yusuke commented, clapping his hands together as if he'd just witnessed a blockbuster movie at the cinema.

"I'm honestly a bit jealous," Haru said with a conflicted smile. Already the changes to Precia were taking shape in the real world. She was finally becoming the mother she was meant to always be. There were bound to still be mistakes and bumps in the road, but it was going to be a much smoother ride from now on for all involved. With a shake of her head, Haru continued. "In the end though, I'm happy that Fate still has her mother. That's what matters."

"Where is it!? Where is it!? I can smell it! It's close by! MRRRROW!"

"Oh, pipe down Mona! You'll interrupt them!" Futaba yelled as she held the cat down. The 'them' she was referring to was the family currently sitting in the kitchen next to the living room. None of the thieves dared to enter while they were talking to one another. This was their time.

"So, make sure to remember Fate's birthdays okay? And don't be too pushy. Let her do what she wants to do!" Alicia told Precia with a waggle of her finger.

"Of course, she's more than earned it."

"Be sure to actually have a meal with her. It might be difficult given that you'll probably be put away for a long time, but at the very least request to see her if you can," Rynith asked.

"Yes… that will be an issue won't it. However, I suppose it will be an opportunity to set a proper example for Fate, late as it is. I should face my punishment head on, rather than shy away from it. Though before I do so, I should probably at least let our guests leave first," she said with an amused chuckle as she realized that they had an audience. The thieves for their part tried their best to hide, but a full second of exposure certainly didn't help their attempt of inconspicuousness. "It's fine, we've said all that needs to be said," Precia told them as she, Rynith, and Alicia, left the kitchen to join the rest of the thieves.

"Are you sure? We can give you more time if you need it," Ann offered, a bit enthusiastically.

"That is alright, I can't keep you all here forever. This place will collapse soon enough, and I don't wish to cause all of you any more trouble. I've held out for as long as I can, but this place is at its limits," Precia informed them.

"You know, I'm glad we helped you out. You're a lot nicer like this," Futaba told her.

"Futaba!" Makoto gave the girl a small slap on the head.

"No no, she's right. I was not exactly the most pleasant company. I am happy you went out of your way to help me."

"I am too!" Alicia chimed in as she ran over and leapt to catch Ren's arm. "You kept your promise! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Any time… Morgana?"

"Treasure! Treasure! Treasure!" Morgana yelled over and over as he tried to leap up at him… No, it wasn't him he was leaping up at. It was instead…

"Wait, are you the…" Alicia looked at him confused.

"I suppose that would make sense. Of everything in this world, it is Alicia I cherish most," Precia was the one to confirm. "I remember you said something about coming to take my treasure."

"Master has of course been obsessed with Alicia for the longest time. If anything, I'm surprised it took this long for the rest of you to figure that out," Rynith snarked at them. Ren let it slide, seeing as he wouldn't be able… enjoy was a strong word… hear it for much longer.

"Well it's just that usually, the treasure is something, you know…"

"Inanimate," Yusuke finished for Haru.

"But if that's the case, that still doesn't explain the reading I was getting earlier… wait so Alicia's actual heart and soul was the treasure? I think I get it now. Precia's treasure was probably a cognition of Alicia, maybe a vegetable like the one outside, that somehow was able to grab onto Alicia's wayward ghost, and then become Alicia."

"F-futaba, please don't mention ghosts!" Makoto cried pathetically.

"Boo!"

"Stop that!"

"Enough senseless prattling!" Yusuke commanded, causing the two to stop in their tracks. "Precia, we've done what we came to do already, so there is no longer any need to take your… to take Alicia. We can leave her here with you if you wish."

"That's very kind of you, however… I think it's best if you do take her," Precia said with all due seriousness, leaving the thieves stunned.

"But… she's your daughter. Are you sure about that?" Ann asked her.

"I think it's been long enough," Precia answered. "I've been obsessed with Alicia ever since she'd left me. However, that obsession blinded me. It left me so blind that I couldn't even see that she was right beside me all this time. I couldn't recognize her as my treasure. Also, if I want to start a new with Fate, I think it's only right that I let go of the past, so that I can move on. I think that's what you want as well. Isn't that right Alicia?" Alicia looked up at her mother and gave her a nod.

"I think so too. Mommy has a lot of love in her heart, but she can't give it to Fate if I'm still here. Let me go with you! That way Mommy can finally be better once and for all. Here! The front door is this way!" She dragged Ren over to where the front door was, the rest following the enthusiastic girl. Once there, the thieves made sure they were all in one piece before leaving.

"Well Mommy, this is goodbye."

"Yes Alicia… this is goodbye. Are you not going with them Rynith?" Precia asked the Familiar, who stood vigilant beside her.

"As tempting as accompanying Sir Morgana out would be. A familiar's place is at her master's side. You will have to do better than that if you want to be rid of me," Rynith prodded. "I'm sorry Sir Morgana. This is where we part ways. Please think of me often."

"U-um… sure. A gentleman will always keep his lovely flowers in his heart," Morgana answered back, no longer completely addled by his condition.

"We could just leave Mona here with them," Futaba suggested.

"Ooh, that's a great idea! Let the two's love story blossom!" Ann agreed in delight.

"Lady Ann!" The rest of the group laughed it off as Morgana continued his indignation. Once they'd quieted back down though, they were making ready to leave.

"Well, this is it I suppose," Ren said as he held Alicia's hand. "It's time to go."

"Yeah, you'll take care of things on that side, right?" Alicia asked him.

"I'll try my best."

"Ren." The boy turned around towards Precia. "If… if by some chance you think it would be alright, could you give Alicia back to me. Only if you think I'm ready, of course. It's just… I suppose a mother can never truly let go of her children after all…"

"Was already planning on it," he said with a smile that Precia could only call worrying. Yet she didn't think it was a mean one. It was just… tricky.

"It's not like we wanted to separate Mother and daughter either," Makoto added.

"Normally we don't do as such, but for this situation I think we can make an exception," Morgana said. "It would be ungentlemanly otherwise."

"Thank you, but only when you think I'm ready…" I tremor passed through the house, shaking the ground and putting some of the thieves to the floor. Precia, who remained upright, placed her hand out and used magic to open the door where a bright white light shone through the entrance. "It would seem our time is up. Again, thank you for everything you've done."

"All of you take care of yourselves, and Alicia!" Rynith told them as they took their leave one by one through the light.

"Farewell!"

"No problem! Take care!"

"See you on the other side!"

"We'll take care of Alicia for you until then!"

"Be well!"

"Hold on just a moment, let me capture thi-"

"Oh no you don't Inari, you're coming with us right now!" Morgana, Ryuji, Ann, Makoto, Haru, Yusuke, and Futaba all made their way through the light one by one. All that was left was for Ren and Alicia to leave.

"Ready to go Alicia?" The girl answered with a nod and a squeeze of her hand. She turned around one last time and waved her free hand.

"Bye Mom!"

"Goodbye Alicia!" And then the two disappeared into the light. Then right after, the Palace was gone.

 **-0-0-13-0-0-**

Things had quieted down. Nanoha was sitting down on a piece of rubble outside the facility. They'd taken Precia with them, and right now she was just waiting as the TSAB personnel handled the rest. Alicia's tube was being handled with care with some of the staff even consulting Precia on its maintenance. Chrono stood next to Precia, who had given herself up without any resistance. Fate was being overseen by the medical staff, while Yuuno was giving a report and handling the core she'd given him just earlier. Still though, she wondered where Ren was. He still hadn't appeared even though everything was over. She looked, and she looked, but he wasn't anywhere to be found.

"Huh?" Nanoha let out as she saw ripples appear in front of her. She at first moved to raise her device, but when she remembered why it looked so familiar, she simply waited for him to reappear. And just as she thought, the group appeared as if out of thin air. "Welcome back!" She said to them while leaping up to hug Ren before he even had a chance to get his bearings back.

"Woah! Y-yeah we're back," Ren said, trying to keep himself from falling. A ten-year-old wasn't heavy, but the force was still something that needed to be carefully handled.

"Where'd you guys go? It's all over! Precia's much nicer now, and even apologized to Fate-chan! Oh, Fate's currently being healed over there, Chrono's with Precia, and Yuuno is over there handling the core I took out earlier."

"Well to answer your question-"

"We saved the day!" Ryuji said in triumph.

"Well we saved Precia, specifically," Ann said, trying to douse Ryuji's enthusiasm with a light slap to the head.

"Well I suppose from an outside perspective it looks like all we did was run off and come back when it was all over while Precia had a sudden and strange change of heart," Makoto sheepishly admitted. "Not very glamorous optics."

"That's right… the TSAB doesn't know who we are or what we do so we just end up looking like we just went AFK and acting like we got the POTG. That's a straight ticket to getting flagged and reported," Futaba said while looking particularly worried. "Hey, you don't think we'll be punished right? It's not like they'll believe us and…"

"Nanoha, let's just say that Precia's change of heart was our doing and leave it at that. Trade secret, wouldn't want it getting out." He always found it cute how Nanoha puffed her cheeks at him whenever she was upset. The punching he could do without though. That was actually starting to hurt.

"Promise tell me later okay?" She asked when she finally stopped. She didn't wait for an answer as she noticed something in Ren's hand. "Ren? What's that you have there?"

"Huh? Oh this?" He looked around a bit, as if he was searching for something, but then looked at the item in his hand. It looked like he had just realized something as he brought the item up to look at it. A smile formed on his face as looked at it. "This is… a treasure."

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

You know, whenever I'm told by a fic to load up a piece of music, I just kind of ignore it and put on Mario Paint's Creative Exercise track just to screw with whatever mood they were trying to set. Call it the mean contrarian within me that does that. Besides if you're going to suggest a track, you're going to have to suggest something truly hardcore, like Pictionary's OST on NES. That's the real shit right there.

Anyways, I digress. Finally, we're nearing the end of the first season. After this I have a final concluding chapter, and then a sort of pair of epilogue chapters right after. I've already gotten started on those chapters, so hopefully I won't take forever on them.

So yeah, that's how it went in my head. I sort of went how would I make this an interesting boss fight if this were the game, and the conclusion was I'd make it a weird puzzle boss fight where if you fought it conventionally, you'd lose. I've always liked boss fights that were outside the box, like Maiden Astraea from Demon's Souls, ones that stick with you from being different and interesting, and not poorly implemented. It's what makes Sif so interesting. Unlike later boss fights in the Soul series, he gets weaker as you wail on him, a mortifying reality to the situation, because that's what would probably happen if you beat on a creature for that long.

A boss fight where you have to heal and help the boss is an idea that sprung from that, as well as just the idea of what a broken person's shadow/ego would be like. We don't hurt the mentally disabled, not anymore at least, we try to help them. I also struggled for a long time as to what Precia's treasure would be. I didn't initially want it to be Alicia because I thought that was too obvious. I wanted to subvert expectations, or something. However, I realized that it was the best option, because it made the most sense. It's expected, but it's completely in character. Since I couldn't come up with a subversion that was equal to or greater than the expected outcome, I decided that the expected outcome was ultimately the best decision.

So yeah, Precia's alive this time. The canon has been changed. What this will hold for the future, who knows. Now though I'm trying to plan for the arrival of the Knights. The first parts almost over, I hope you'll stick with me to at least that far.

As always, thank you for taking the time read this. I hope you enjoyed it, and don't hesitate to leave a review if you found something you'd like to criticize. Have a great rest of your day, and I hope to see you again. Good-bye.


End file.
